Dancing Phalanges
by fivesteamboatsxD
Summary: Booth and Brennan revisit Brennan's desire for a baby. His baby. Could this baby be the key to falling in love? Or will her independence and his desire to be involved drive them apart? Read and REVIEW! Off hiatus! Chapter 12 is up!
1. Beginning

They pulled up to the scene in the black SUV still bickering as they passed the yellow tape. The other agents just glanced over and rolled their eyes, they'd all become accustomed to the odd relationship that the partners shared. They all suspected there was something there, something the partners themselves didn't see.

Today, they squabbled about Angela's "little comment" this morning. Over the years, Brennan had gotten used to Angela's sex absorbed mind. Booth, however, had not. He expected it to some extent, but still thought that her desires could be kept inside her perverted brain.

"Booth, it's Angela; what else do you expect?" Temperance rolled her eyes thinking how ludicrous his complaint was. Sure, Angela could make people uncomfortable sometimes but it's not nearly as awful as Booth would depict. She smiled to herself, _prude. _

"'Looking good stud, mind if I wrap you up and put you under my tree?' That's a little too much" He repeated shaking his head. _Yes, I'd mind._

"I believe she was referring to the silly Christmas tradition in which the Christmas tree is put up and wrapped gifts are placed under it for loved ones. It's an odd tradition. What's interesting, though, is that it actually started as a pagan tradition on a pagan holiday and the Christians took it into their own beliefs and celebrated their so called savior's birth on the pagan holiday. Though, if the Christ child did in fact exist, He would have been born in March, not December. So, Christmas as a whole is a completely fabricated and meaningless day." She finished her ramblings, feeling quite proud of herself only to see Booth glaring at her, bewildered.

"You just ruined Christmas. Bones, Christmas isn't about science, it's about Jesus and family. It happens to be my favorite holiday. So, keep your anthropological mumbo jumbo to yourself, please." He huffed. "And I knew what she meant, it's just inappropriate. Besides, she mentioned something else."

And it was that something else that was truly bothering him. No matter how uncomfortable he felt with the previous comment from Angela, the one that had bothered him was the one to follow it. The one he swore he wouldn't mention to Bones, but her atheistic ramblings had drove him to it. Sometimes, he thought it was so hard to have an atheist for a partner, especially because he was Catholic. Maybe he didn't go to church every week, but he believed in God…and she didn't.

The idea of a different partner was heartbreaking, though. So, he'd put up with her. In truth, he loved her feminism, her strong rationality, and even when they argued about God. He knew that even if she didn't believe it, she could respect his beliefs. She looked at him and her blue eyes captured his again. It was as if they could say everything with just a somber glance. An apology waited in her eyes, it waited for him to accept it. He smiled. He couldn't help it, it was involuntary. She _made_ him smile.

They approached the deteriorated flesh and bones lying on a pile of leaves. She knelt down over the body and began her quick, on-the-scene examination. "Caucasian male, late twenties to early thirties…" She trailed off and squint her eyes. "There is a lot of flesh still intact on this victim. It'll have to be cleaned before I can further examine it." She got up hastily. "Back to the lab" she said to the agents.

"Bones, what I was going to say is that" He was interrupted by his favorite scientist.

"WAIT!" She yelled as the light glinted off of something in the slightly ajar mouth. The team backed off and Temperance approached the body again. "There's something there" She opened the jaw completely.

It was a little zip loc bag that you would put earrings or a bolt in, but in this bag was white powder. Her eyes widened. "Booth" She called.

He took the zip lock bag from her and examined it. He put the smallest amount on his finger and stuck his tongue to it. "Cocaine…so was he the coke head or the dealer?"

* * *

After Cam had finished with the flesh, Clark boiled the flesh from the bones. Everyone was doing their normal jobs. Angela was trying to put a face together, Hodgins was ogling at the leaves and the beetles that were responsible for the deterioration of the victim's flesh, and Cam had successfully determined time of death: one month ago.

Brennan now stood on the platform bending over the bones. She concentrated very hard on the left side of his clavicle. There was a very definite scratch, probably a stab wound, she reasoned. The scratch was angled at such a trajectory that the knife would have come down from the neck to the clavicle. It very well could have sliced his jugular.

"Cam, I feel confident in saying that this scratch on the clavicle is the cause of death. It appears to be a stab wound. This wound suggests that the weapon came down from the neck to the clavicle. It would've sliced his jugular vein open. He would've died before any help could be reached from blood loss. I'd imagine that the place he was murdered has blood spurts every where, it would've been very messy." Dr. Brennan said as she gestured to the mark.

"That seems correct," She nodded as she herself looked over the bones and considered Dr. Brennan's words. "I'll check the database and try to get a name on this John Smith."

* * *

Seeley Booth arrived at his son's elementary school and waited anxiously for Parker to be released. He missed his son. Temperance Brennan smiled as she gazed at the sheer joy expressed on her partner's face as the bell rang and children flooded around. His boy Parker ran into his arms. "Daddy!!!" The seven year old exclaimed as his father picked him up.

"Hey Buddy!" Booth greeted putting his little boy back on the ground. "Look who's with Daddy?"

"Dr. Bones!"

"Hello Parker" She grinned at him. He was adorable with his innocent eyes that mirrored his fathers and his unadulterated happiness.

"Daddy, is Dr. Bones gonna play with us all weekend?" Temperance and Seeley laughed easily.

"No, Bones is just coming to eat dinner with us." Booth smiled fondly at his little boy before he started the engine. "Buckle up, kiddo"

Parker quickly strapped himself into the safety belt and Booth proceeded to put the SUV in drive. Brennan envied Booth's smile. She was happy for him, but she still wanted that smile that he got whenever he looked at his child. She wanted a child of her own. A child that she'd asked Booth for. She revisited that conversation. _If I can't be involved, I don't want her to have the kid._ He had said to the illusion of a cartoon baby.

He had to be involved if he was going to give her his sperm. Of course, Fisher had offered her his gamates without any further requisites. She didn't want Fisher's child though. She wanted Booth's. He had everything good that a child could ever need. He had every trait that she would want for her child to have. She knew that deep down there were other reasons she wanted _his_ baby, but she chose to keep those to herself.

She hated psychology. She hated it, especially when Dr. Sweets had the audacity to ask if she requested Booth to be her sperm donor, because she thought if she were to give birth to his child, then he would love her. What lunacy! Even if the thought had crossed her mind, it exited just as soon. She didn't allow herself to picture Booth and herself raising a little baby.

Before he had gone into surgery he had told her that if he didn't make it, she wanted her to use his sperm for a child. During his coma, he'd dreamt about impregnating her. She wondered how he'd feel now, about fathering her child. She decided to revisit the subject with him when they had time alone.

His mind still dwelt on Angela's comment. She'd pulled him to the side and spoke clearly and directly, and even worse sincerely. After an unneeded reminder about how alone Brennan would be this Christmas and suggestion that he spend his Christmas with her, she became intrusive. _If I know Bren, she's still waiting on your decision about using your sperm to get pregnant. She hasn't said anything yet, but it's coming. Listen, I'm not blind, Booth. No one here is; we can all see that you love her. As her best friend, you're what I want for her; because I know she wants you too. She's just afraid to admit it. Asking you for this is a big step for her. I know you want to be involved, but I'm telling you…you will be. You could be a family…if you loved her, you'd do it._

He pondered on that and decided that the talk would ensue tonight as soon as he'd gotten Parker to bed and before he drove her home. The last words kept haunting him. _If you loved her, you'd do it. _They left one question, the most obvious but reluctant question of all…_do I love her?_

* * *

**I really, really, like this one guys. I don't know what possessed me to do this, but I felt really inspired to start this new fanfic. I hope you guys like it. REVIEW if you want more. I'm still working on the second chapter to Traditions…but I think this might be my main fanfic…depends on reviews…**

**xD**

**-Lacey**


	2. Decisions

**Wow, guys! What a response! I've never felt so encouraged to write. Thank you so much to everyone who is reading, adding alerts or choosing my stories as your favorites. A special thanks to those who reviewed! Those were amazing reviews and nothing feels better than feeling appreciated. Thank you!!! I hope you like this chapter and I hope you REVIEW:) **

**-Lacey**

* * *

Booth looked down with a smile as he kissed his boy's forehead. "Goodnight bud" He said endearingly and he left the room. Parker was fast asleep and Booth knew that it was now time to speak to Bones.

Brennan waited anxiously by the front door. She didn't bother to sit down or even try to relax. It was time to talk. She would get a final answer tonight. They would discuss it, anyhow. She would be reasonable and accept any answer she was given; this was a sensitive subject, she reminded herself. _You're asking Booth for a child, Temperance, be reasonable. This is a big deal._

She wanted to let herself believe what her logical façade would suggest. She is merely asking for a sperm donor. She wasn't asking for him to conceive with her or to take care of this child. It would be the same as going to a sperm bank or asking Fisher for a sample. She knew that wasn't true, though. It wouldn't be the same, because she _had _specified why Booth would be the best donor: she wanted _his_ attributes in _her_ child.

Dr. Lance Sweets said she is expressing her "hidden desire" for Booth sexually. Did she mention how much she hated psychology? It's absolutely absurd. She'd never "expressed" a sexual desire for Booth. Although, she did find him pleasing to the eye. She didn't love Booth, hell, she didn't love anyone. Romantically, that is.

Or was she just lying to herself? For being someone who seeks out the truth so aggressively, she was quite the liar. She only lied to herself though and as a result others may have been led astray. She'd done it all her life, how could she just face the truth now? That is, if there was any truth to face.

As she swayed in her indecision, Booth sat down on the couch to her left. In his many years with the FBI, he could read a face, especially Bone's. She was nervous, anxious, and indecisive. She was uneasy and uncomfortable, but she was trying to be brave. This was something big, something important to Brennan.

Booth smiled warmly, trying to soothe her. "Sit down, Bones." He pleaded.

"Alright" She acquiesced and awkwardly sat down next to the man she was about to ask for child.

"Relax," He put his arm around her shoulder and quickly retracted it. It was too easy to touch Brennan. It was too easy to want her. It was too easy to admit that he wanted her. It was too easy to wish that she would want this baby under different circumstances. It was too hard to let her raise his child without him.

"I'm fine."

Booth, however, knew she wasn't. He got up and grabbed a bottle of scotch. He poured two glasses. She shot him a questioning look. "Nothing cuts tension like scotch."

"You suggest we should be drinking?" She laughed. It was ironic, because if her request was granted, there would be no more drinking for at least a year.

"Yes, I do." He smiled his best crooked grin and handed her the glass. He sat down as he took a sip.

"This is hard liquor, if I drink this entire glass, I will become intoxicated." She informed him.

"Really? I'm curious…what kind of drunk is Dr. Temperance Brennan?" He teased.

"I've been known to become very sexual when inebriated."

"Ha, a slutty drunk? I would've thought you to be a violent drunk with your track record and all." It worked. The alcohol wasn't even needed to break the tension.

"I resent that Booth. I am not a harlot."

"Hey now, no one said anything about harlots…" He winked.

"What about you? What inebriated persona are you?"

"Uhh…I'm not sure." He dismissed it, knowing that he was the most idiotic drunk there ever was. He would ramble on and prattle about the most ridiculous things and spill his true feelings. Drunken words are sober thoughts, and for that reason, he thought it best not to let Bones ever see him drunk.

"We need to discuss something, Temperance." He said looking down at his glass.

"You…you used my first name." She spoke softly

"Well, this is an intimate topic." At the instant she knew that they were thinking the same thing. She seemed weaker now that she was in this private setting with Booth. It was different from the earlier requests in the car or the lab; those were comfort places, places that didn't intimidate her so much.

"So you've thought about it." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, Bones, I want to say yes"

"Good! Thank you Booth!" she hugged him and for once, he didn't hug back.

"No, Temperance, I want to say yes, but I don't know if I can. I want to do this for you, but I can't just walk away. I can't just leave my kid Bones! You of all people should understand that!" He was now getting emotional. He thought about Parker who was sleeping blissfully in the other room, he thought about how this night could change everything. Parker could have a little brother or little sister, and depending on Brennan he might never know it.

"Booth, I told you, I would love this child. I could never leave it. I will never be my parents. Never." Tears welled up in her icy blue eyes and she knew that this was pivotal, that everything depended on this. "I know I'm asking for a lot, Booth. Please."

"I have to be involved. It's my child."

"Booth, I'm not going to marry you or anything."

"I'm not asking you to marry me." He choked. "I'm simply requesting that you let me father that child. Let me wake up and feed it. Let me change its diapers and hold it. Let me tell him or her that I love them. Let them know that their daddy would never leave them. We don't have to be romantically involved, I just- if you're going to have this baby, I'm gonna step up. It's who I am"

"I know. Okay. You can be as involved as you want, but this is _my_ child Booth. I'm making decisions for them."

"I understand. Thanks Bones. Thank you. I'll do it." He wiped his eyes. He had wanted her to have this child all along; he just wanted to be included. He wanted her to have this, but only deep down to himself would he admit that he wanted her to have this baby with _him._

"No, _thank you_ Seeley."

* * *

"He said yes?" Angela asked a smile spread across her face.

"Yes, he wants to help parent, though." Brennan said no longer bothered by that. She was getting what she wanted after all. All that irked her was that this man cared and was adamant to not cower down. Everyone she'd ever been around had cowered and left with their tail between their legs. Her parents, Russ, ex lovers, they'd all given up on her and had never fought for anything. Booth did, though. He would not give up, he would fight to the death for his cause and it scared her.

"Sweetie, this is a good thing. This is a big deal, it's a human life. You're not going to want to do this alone." Brennan opened her mouth to protest, but Angela was quicker. "Besides, you'll be spending a lot of time together and this baby might just bring you guys together."

"What do you mean?" She asked, lost again.

"Well, Bren, it's obvious you asked for his sperm for a reason beyond his dashing features" Angela swooned momentarily, but then was serious again. "When are you two going to stop kidding yourselves and admit that you are completely in love with each other?"

"What! I don't love Booth." She said defensively

"Please! Thou doth protest too much"

"Is that Shakespeare? Which play is that from? Or is it a sonnet?" Brennan asked hoping to distract Angela.

"Yeah, I think so… and I don't know…I saw it on TV; Anyway, what I'm trying to say is no matter how much you say you don't love him, you do."

"This child is going to change everything, isn't it?"

"You have no idea." Angela said

"Booth and I are going to change?" Brennan sat down now fearfully aware of how life altering this decision is.

"You're having a child together, Bren, think about this…are you sure you want to do this?" Angela asked worried about her friend.

"Yes, I want to do this. It'll all work out and whatever happens, happens." She said with clarity. She was surprised by her statement. She'd never been one to let the chips fall as they may. She liked to control things and have a plan. This was different. This is a whole new ball game. This is something she'd never experienced before, something she didn't know she'd be good at despite her boasting. Angela was right; this would change her and Booth's relationship. For better or for worse, she did not know. _It will all work out. _She told herself as she spotted Booth coming towards her office. _It will all work out._


	3. Author's Note!

Author's Note:

**I am so sorry that I haven't updated in a while! I've had a lot going on lately. I've had choir performances, finals in every class, and holidays with the family, a tough break up, and my brother's girlfriend miscarried the other night. So, it's been hard to find time to write a truly excellent chapter. I HAVE been working on it though. I'm about a quarter of the way through with the next chapter and I hope to update very soon. Please review, because it encourages me to write.**

** To those of you whom have reviewed and selected this story for alerts and such: THANK YOU!!!! You have no idea how good it feels when I check my email and see those. :) This story is my first priority among my extracurricular writing (though I promise I am working on Traditions too, I am looking for a direction in which to go. I'm taking my time, because I take pride in what I do)**

** I really appreciate my readers and those who take it a step further and favorite, alert, and/or review. Please continue to do so! :) Hit me up with suggestions and critique in a private message! I so enjoy talking to you! **

** This was just to inform you that I have not given up on this story and I am working diligently on getting an update as soon as the surrounding events permit. I'm in the middle of a snowstorm, so let's hope I get more snow days than this one! Also, today is my brother's birthday, so expect a chapter either early today or afternoon-evening tomorrow.**

** Many thanks,**

** Lacey**


	4. Appointment

**So this is a very long chapter. I'm SO sorry that it's taken me so long to update. I hope this makes up for it. Please please please review. If you like this story, review. I'm getting all self concious about it. :( but anyway enjoy:) I had fun writing it.**

**-Lacey**

* * *

Temperance exited her office with Angela alongside of her. Angela left to pester Hodgins, while Temperance bee lined straight towards Booth. He looked uneasy, she noticed as she approached him.

"Hello, Booth" She greeted genially. "What's forward?"

"Up, Bones, what's up? It's a very common expression; you have to have known that one!" He now laughed. He loved to correct her pop culture. She may be a genius in academics, but in her pop culture knowledge she was inept.

"Okay, I did know that one." She smiled slyly. She didn't care for all these fads which would die out within the next ten years, but that particular expression, she knew. She just loved that look he got on his face whenever she misspoke. His face was painted in sheer amusement. "Why are you here?" She asked after chuckling.

"I made us an appointment." He said flatly.

"Oh. Are they going to inseminate me?" She asked as she passed through the lab and observed her colleague's working on the case. She wished she could be down there working along with her friends and coworkers. She always loved working; it was her form of relaxation. She would get lost in a case and end up staying at work until the next day. She would skip meals, cancel plans, and deprive herself of sleep; she would work until the work was done or until someone interrupted her work. Temperance was quite annoyed by those interferences. Though, this particular interruption, she didn't mind.

She was getting exactly what she wanted. She was receiving Booth's share of chromosomes to pass on to her child…_their_ child. Booth looked anxious. Was his decision wavering? He wouldn't change his mind. Not after he promised. He knew how much it meant to her, he wouldn't take it away! Would he? No, no, Temperance knew the answer to that. Seeley Booth was a man of his word. He wouldn't hurt her like that. She looked at the angst in his eyes and knew this was tough for him. He had agreed under less than ideal circumstances, being a religious man it would be difficult for him to have a child out of wedlock.

"You're not committing a sin, Booth." She said as he opened her door for her, despite her refusal.

"How would you know, you're not religious."

"That doesn't mean I haven't looked into it. We're not having sexual intercourse. You're not breaking any commandment; you're simply helping a friend."

"I guess, I don't know. I'm just…are you absolutely sure? After this, there is no going back. Are you ready for a child?"

"Of course, I would never be so irresponsible to invite an infant into the world if I could not take proper care of it. I have enough money to supply anything he or she may ever need."

"Emotionally, Bones" He said softly. He was aware that she had more money than he has probably ever seen throughout his entire life. He knew that financially, she could support this child. She would be a wonderful mother, he knew, but was this what she truly wanted? Was she aware how hard parenthood was? He just didn't want her to rush into something that she couldn't take back.

"Booth, I know I may seem distant and unemotional, but I know how to love. I know this won't be easy, but I've evaluated this over and over and have concluded that I am ready for this."

"As long as you know for sure" He smiled. He forced that smile. He didn't want this to be an unhappy occasion. He wanted her to look back fondly on it. He pulled into the clinic and put the vehicle in park.

"Thank you, again." She said as she put her hand on his arm.

"Don't sweat it, Bones."

"What does perspiration have to do with our current situation?" She opened up her door and climbed out before Booth could reach her door.

"Never mind…what I mean is you're welcome. It's no big deal."

She shook her head vehemently. He began to walk towards the clinic, but she stood her ground by the car. He walked a couple of paces forward and didn't hear any footsteps except for his own. He paused and turned to face her. "Are you coming?"

"Booth, it _is _a big deal. This is a child. You have every right to be concerned for yourself, the child, and me. I don't want you to feel pressured into this. If you don't want me to have this baby, say something before it's too late. Don't pretend for my sake."

He slowly approached her. Tears were forming in her eyes. The wind blew her hair into her face. She looked heartbroken. It wasn't easy for Booth to seemingly compromise his values for a child, especially when he wasn't conceiving with Brennan in the way that he would've preferred. He knew, though, that Brennan was trying to be selfless. She was trying to make him happy at her own expense.

He brushed her hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. His hand lingered on her face, his thumb wiped away her crystal tears. His eyes bore into hers and there within the chocolate irises was the same heartbroken look Brennan wore. His heart broke for her again. How many times could he fall for this woman? How many times would he hurt her and himself? He just wanted to hold her and comfort her. He wanted to wipe away any pain that could ever consume his Bones, even the most infinitesimal amount.

"Is that what this is about? You think I don't want you to have this baby? That I'm pretending for you…Temperance, you're worried that I think you'll be a bad mother, aren't you?" He waited for her to say something, but she just stared back wordless. He continued. "Oh, Temperance! Why would that ever cross your mind? I'm so sorry. Can't you see that all those things are the furthest from the truth? You need the truth, so I'm gonna tell you. The truth is, I'm happy for you and I'm flattered and honored that you asked me to do this. I'm not pretending for you, I'm worried about you. I want you to have this baby if you truly want it. I just don't want you rushing into something full force ahead that you can't take back. You'll be a wonderful mother. You are the most caring person I have ever met. Despite what anyone says, you do care. I can see it. You can do this."

"It's a child, Booth!" She cried, finally breaking her silence. "What if…" She couldn't finish that thought. The thought that had haunted her since that dark day, the thought that she believed she'd overcome, the thought that choked her into silence, that was the thought she could never admit aloud.

"What if what?" Booth searched for answers in her eyes. Her silence screamed the answers that he never wanted to hear. "You're not them, Temperance. You could never be. You could never be so heartless to leave your child wondering why they weren't a good enough reason to stay. What do you see when you look in the mirror? Tell me you see what I see."

"And what is it that you see, Booth?"

He chuckled and wiped another tear away as he invites her into his arms. He just held her for a minute. He let her go so that he could look into her eyes again, and it hurt to leave her embrace. "Bones…I see a smart, funny, beautiful, loving, and honest woman. You should too."

"Thank you." She said as she wiped away her tears "Let's go in." She hugged him one more time then began walking with him close by her side. His hand rested familiarly on the small of her back. He always knew how to piece her back together when she was falling apart.

They entered and the receptionist's head snapped up. "Dr. Brennan and Agent Booth"

"Yes…" said Booth.

"The doctor is waiting for you." The receptionist said with an attitude. Booth glanced at his wallet and realized that they were really late. He grimaced at her while they were ushered down the hall.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"We're ten minutes late. I think that's why the receptionist lady looked like she was gonna kill us."

"Understandably, tardiness is unacceptable. When students come into my class more than seven minutes late, I turn them away."

"What? You don't think that's a little harsh?"

"No, it's distracting. If they wanted to learn and be educated in my class, they can arrive promptly."

"Wow…so if I came to pick you up and I was running a little late…"

"How late?" Brennan asked

"Twenty or so minutes"

"I would call you and inform you that you have ten minutes to be there or else I'm driving myself."

"Wow Bones. Harsh."

"You're the one that was late." She laughed and shook the doctor's hand. "Hello, Dr. Priestly, very nice to meet you."

"And you as well, Dr. Brennan. Ah, agent Booth, nice to see you again. So if you'll follow me into my office, we can discuss your options."

They followed the young doctor into his office and sat down in the chairs opposite his large mahogany desk.

"So, we're going to go ahead and inseminate you today. Agent Booth has already provided us with a sample and unless there is an objection, by the end of today, you'll be pregnant."

"Wow." Brennan said, a smile spreading over her face.

"We'll need you to fill out this health sheet and release forms while we prepare for the insemination. Do you have any specifications on gender?"

"No, surprise me" Brennan smiled and looked at Booth who returned the expression.

The doctor chuckled. "Okay, Dr. Brennan, if you'll just complete those forms in the lobby, we'll call you in once the room is prepared."

Brennan and her partner headed back to the lobby with a blue clipboard and clinic pen. Booth put his arm around her in a friendly gesture, careful as always not to cross that thousand foot boundary line between them. Coworkers and friends, that's all they could be but doesn't this decision make them something more, he wondered. This child makes them parents, redundant but true.

He sat and pondered all that this day is affecting as he looked down at his beautiful Bones filling out paper work. Their entire lives were going to change forever. This notion struck him as both scary and wonderful. It was scary, because there would be a lot of changes and disagreements but wonderful because he would never lose the woman who matters most to him.

Brennan checked down the list of health concerns checking no for every question so far. _Have you had an abortion or miscarriage within the last five years? _No. _Have you had a child in the last two years?_ No. _Is there any possibility of a preexisting pregnancy currently? _No. _Have you been diagnosed with any chronic diseases? _No.

Brennan sighed and rolled her neck. She hated filling out these forms. It was so monotonous, and it usually consisted of the same questions over and over. _When was your last menstrual period?_ 14 days ago. _Have you been diagnosed with a transferable STD? _No. It was enough to drive her insane.

"Booth, why don't you have to fill out one of these?"

"I did… last week, when I gave a sperm sample."

"Oh. I'm almost done. I just want to be done with this paperwork and get my baby."

"Anxious, Bones?"

"A little.... I've done a lot of studying on pregnancy; I could tell you all about it month by month. It's an exciting prospect." She smiled. "I've got moths in my stomach."

"Butterflies, Bones, butterflies."

"Oh…" She winked. The receptionist called out. "Dr. Brennan, Agent Booth, the doctor will see you now."

They got up quickly. Brennan looked at him and offered her hand, a rare occurrence. "Get ready. We're going to be parents"


	5. Zygote

**Okay, first things first- THANK YOU! The feedback was incredible. So incredible, that I had to hurry up and update! See, reviews= fast update. **

**Filler chapter- has cute moments...next chapter get ready for really really cute moments. And if you're wondering about the case...I got it covered.**

**Remember...Reviews make me happy. Happiness makes me want to write. Inspiration to write means a new chapter. New chapter means an update. So according to the law of syllogism- REVIEWS=UPDATE**

**:) Just a little math, for you guys.**

**Thanks and oh, don't forget to review.:)**

** -Lacey**

* * *

It seemed so short a time between lying down on that strange chair in the room, and leaving the clinic. "Congratulations, you're pregnant" The doctor had said and Brennan had never worn a smile quite so large or so bright.

Booth wanted to kiss her. He wanted to tell her he loved her. He wanted to break down that stupid line that he had created. He wanted to see her walking down the aisle towards him garbed in white. He was ready to marry this woman, but she wasn't ready to marry him. She'd made her beliefs very clear. While some may have changed, he thought for sure that her views on marriage would remain set in stone. She would never wear some meretricious diamond on her "ring finger" and would never be a tied down, tamed wifey. Booth couldn't help but dream, even still.

"How do you feel momma?" Booth asked in the car, joking with a warm smile on his face. He had to admit he was thrilled. Even though his Bones wasn't truly his, she was still his in at least one way. He knew that thought would have her fired up for months had she been able to his thoughts, but he could not keep from thinking it. She was having _his_ baby. Something of him was inside of her. He was going to have another child in just nine months. So what if it's not happening ideally, he's bonded to her for life. He wondered is she realized this as well.

"I don't feel any different. I mean, because I was artificially inseminated, I'm aware that I'm pregnant and happy to be so. However, had this occurred due to a physical relation, I would not even feel pregnant. I may have missed a menstrual period, but I'd really have no other way of knowing. The zygote is only one celled as of now." She mused.

"Bones, you just called your baby a zygote." He said half way amused and the other half a little taken back.

"Yes. That is the stage that my child is in. There are three stages of prenatal growth, Booth, the zygote being the first of the three. In about two weeks, the baby will begin the embryo stage."

"Why so squinty?" Booth asked, knowing the answer. Brennan was a scientist, through and through. Rarely could she speak without scientific reasoning, it was her wall.

"I am a scientist; therefore I think as a scientist and speak as a scientist."

"There is a life inside of you, Bones; don't you feel different at all?" He asked, smiling.

"I suppose my hormones are going to pick up soon, but Booth, typically a woman would feel no difference. The zygote is only the size of a pinhead"

"There you again with your squinty zygotes!" He tried not to laugh. "New rule- the life inside of you is not known by any squint terms."

"Those terms are not satisfactory. I'm sure you'd like to know what is going on in every stage of my pregnancy. I can't explain it without science."

"You win…" He said defeated but quickly gaining a defensive tone. "The baby may be a zygote, but it's still a baby. Use an endearing term, zygote just sounds cold"

"Zygote can be a very endearing term, if you look at it the right way," Brennan said looking down at her still flat abdomen.

"Oh my little zygote?" Booth said in a mocking voice.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"No, why ever would you think such a thing?" Booth said a grin now stretched from ear to ear."

"I believe you are being sarcastic. Sarcasm is the tool of the weak minded."

"Hey now, let's not go calling people's minds weak!" He said, still amused by her.

"It's the lowest form of wit."

"It's still wit, though." Brennan smiled at him. Trust Booth to take an insult as a compliment.

"Yes, I suppose it is." She looked out the window and watched the building go by. They were nearer to the Jeffersonian with every block. She was excited to thrust herself straight into work. "What about you, Booth? How do you feel? You're going to be a father again."

"I'm happy" He said trying to tone down his voice. He didn't want her to know just how happy he was. He didn't want to give away his secret. He was so in love with her and so wrapped around her that his every thought consisted of her, the baby, or Parker. Even his thoughts about work brought him to her.

"You don't sound happy." She noted the dryness in his voice.

"I am very happy, but this is about you. This is your baby. I'm going to help raise him or her, but it's your child. You made that very clear." He said making sure that she knew that he was aware of their agreement.

She frowned. "It's okay to be happy that I am delivering your child. In fact, you'd better get used to seeing me that way, because I am the mother of your child, artificially or not, we are in this for life. You can't get rid of me so easily, Booth." She smiled defiantly

This excited Booth. She did realize that they were a team for life. They were partners in and out of work. Romantically, maybe not, but they will always have that link between them. The same kind of link that Rebecca and Booth shared, a child. In that case specifically, Parker.

Though, it was different with Temperance. Everything was different with Temperance. This situation was odd, but it wasn't wrong. It was right, it could bring them together. He loves Temperance. He had loved Rebecca as well, but not like Temperance. He didn't know what it was about this infuriating woman that had him crazy for her, but he knew that he was. Maybe it was everything about her: her smile, her laugh, and the way her voice resounded with all the emotions she was feeling, the way she walked, her thoughts, and her lips.

Oh her lips, he remembered back to the day that he was coerced to kiss those glorious lips under mistletoe. He remembered how that moment was magical, it was beautiful, and it was fireworks and wedding bells and everything wonderful. He remembered how they both shrugged it off, but he knew it was something more. He knew he had loved her before that moment, but right then he knew that he loved her in the deepest way that somebody could love and that there wasn't a thing he could do about it.

"Bones, I am truly, sincerely happy about this. Thank you for letting me be involved."

"You're welcome, Booth." She smiled warmly and looked out the window again. She noticed the tall familiar building and she noticed the car was not preparing to turn. "Booth, why are you not turning?"

"Am I supposed to?" He trailed off.

"You're passing the Jeffersonian."

"Yes."

"You're not going to turn around." It was a statement, not a question.

"Nope."

"One syllable answers annoy me, and you know that." She accused.

"No-puh" He pronounced the word as two syllables. "Better?"

"Smart aleck." She remarked. "Why are we passing the Jeffersonian?"

"I'm taking you out to dinner. I believe we have a cause for celebration." He said smugly as she rolled her eyes. Same old Temperance, infuriating, difficult, frustratingly beautiful Temperance. He wouldn't have her any other way.


	6. Celebration

**Hi, it's been a while. I wrote this super long chapter to make up for it! I have next chapter written already. So, I promise a fast update in return for reviews. I worked really hard on this chapter. **

**I like it.**

**I decided to change the story rating to M. Not because I plan on being overly graphic, but because I felt it gave me freedom. Sorry, if you don't agree with it. Sorry if you don't like this chapter. I like it, I think it makes sense. It's how I would hope things happen. Please review regardless. I really didn't mean to offend anyone. So if I offended you, I'm sorry. Please review. I'm feeling very discouraged about my writing.**

**Review?**

* * *

"Booth, your idea of celebration and my idea of celebration are clearly not mutual. I would much rather work on the case than do whatever it is you've decided to drag me into" She argued, though she knew she would lose.

"Give it a rest Bones, we're going out to eat." He said his hands tight on the steering wheel. Could he do it? Could he muster up the strength to say what he'd been thinking for so long? How would she receive it? Would she run? She couldn't. This wasn't about just her. This wasn't about just him. This was about _them_ and _their child._

"The diner was on the left you just passed." She said, still confused.

"We're not going to the diner."

"What? Booth, where are we going?" He made a left and pulled into a nearly full parking lot. She recognized the building as one of her favorite restaurants, not that Booth would know that. This was a high end restaurant that even she reserved only for special occasions. It was a small, intimate Italian restaurant called Belle Stella.

"Booth… you can't afford this. Let's go to the diner or better yet—the lab."

"I can afford it." He lied. He didn't care about the money, though. He could spend a million dollars tonight and he would barely bat an eye…tonight. "C'mon Bones!" He said as he ushered her out of the vehicle and towards the restaurant.

Brennan shivered slightly, instinctively bringing her hands to warm her bare arms. Booth frowned and slid out of his hefty jacket. The chilling air bit at his bare arms, but he handed her the garment regardless.

She meant to shake her head in disapprobation, but she found herself sliding her arms through its sleeves. "Booth…"

"Your welcome, Bones" He grinned pulling her to his side and draping his arm around her shoulders.

"Thanks." She smiled softly, not caring if he moved his arm or not.

* * *

He knew it was time. It was time to lay all the cards on the table. He may have said he didn't care if they were involved or not, but he did care. How could he not? He loved her! His affection for her grew stronger every day, today being the most prominent. He loved her. He had to tell her, right? He had to let the mother of his child, even if she was only a day pregnant, that he was completely in love with her. He had to follow Gordon Gordon's advice and grow a set. He had to tell Sweets and damn brain scans to go to hell, because he knew he loved her. He loved her before the coma; he loved her even more after.

The food arrived and he looked intently at her. She poked at her salad and smiled awkwardly at him.

"So, Angela just texted me while we were in the car, and she said that they identified the victim…" She said looking for something to say. She didn't want to talk about work, or Angela, or anything that wasn't in front of her now…and she didn't understand why this was.

"Bones, no work talk tonight." He leaned forward gazing into her eyes. "We're celebrating" He breathed out, his cool breath reaching her face.

She didn't move. She wanted him again—like she frequently did. She wanted him to take her now on the restaurant table, but that was just a foolish fantasy. She shook her head and breathed in slowly.

"Celebrating. Got it." She muttered.

"I-I have something I want to…err… discuss." His words stumbled out slowly; he realized he was balancing on a fine wire. It was like Brennan's tight rope walk, but this time he was walking and there wasn't a net to catch him.

Except that there was—the baby was his net. They had a deal.

"Alright, what is it?" She asked as she noted a bit of uneasiness in his features. Worry, stress, but also certainty. She worried a little about what was coming next.

"Us"

"Us? What about us?" She cocked her head to the side.

"Us, Temperance." He nodded his head, ignoring the arching of her eyebrows as he addressed her by her first name. He figured it was something they better get used to. They weren't just work partners anymore. He would still call her Bones, but something about her name on his lips was so liberating.

"I'm not sure how to say this, because every time I think I know how to say it, it just comes out corny or stupid and you deserve better than that. I'm going to just say it how it is."

"Are you going to say it anytime soon, Booth?" She smirked. A slight smile spread over him.

"Yeah, I was planning on it." He chuckled. "I love you, Bones." He said quickly before he could think his way out of it with nonsense like "atta girl" or "mother of my child;" He was not going to cower out of this, not like last time.

"In an 'atta girl' way. Yes, I'm aware of that, Booth." She said resolutely. She remembered when he had told her that and tried to hide the flinch. She was expecting him to say it—finally. She wanted him to tell her that he was absolutely in love with her, but it didn't happen. Instead, he qualified his statement with a phrase that suggested a platonic relationship. To hide her chagrin and disappointment, she returned the expression. She was ready for the qualifier.

"No, no, let me talk. I love you in the 'I want to marry you and have children with you' kind of way."

"I am having your child." She stated, trying to remain coherent and suppress the overwhelming joy that was threatening to bubble over within her.

"I know." He smiled fondly. "I just- I wish it was done the way _I_ always pictured it. I wish I had gotten the nerve up before and told you how I really felt. I would hope that you feel the same… then we'd fall in love, maybe we'd be engaged, and _this_ would happen naturally" He said as he gestured towards her flat abdomen.

Temperance was quiet for a moment. She was digesting his words as she allowed logic to overtake the ecstasy she was feeling. Had he truly said he'd pictured them _together?_ That he loved her, and wanted to _marry_ her? She'd made her feelings about marriage known before. But strangely, she didn't feel so opposed now. She didn't feel threatened. She felt relieved. She changed her mind about having children, monogamy, love, and maybe she could enjoy being married. So long—a part of her whispered—as it was with Booth.

"So? Dr. Temperance Brennan has no thoughts?"

"It's impossible not to think, even when you are not concentrating—which I currently am—on something, your brain is still controlling your organ functions and nerves." She said instinctively. It was science. It was something she knew and understood.

What did she know about love? She'd never been in love, even though every part of her mind screamed that she loved him, too. Until recently, she'd never even believed in love beyond brain chemistry. But it was Booth who had convinced her of love. It was because of him that she believed in it. It was he who she ever even considered love with. It was he who fathered the tiny organism growing in her uterus.

"Booth, are you asking me to marry you?" She asked in a small voice.

"No, no, don't worry. Besides, we haven't even had our first date!" He chuckled. "I guess I'm just saying that I love you, Temperance, and I want to take you on a date and then another one and another one. I want to make love to you and with you. I want to love you and be loved by you. And one day, down the road, maybe after the little guy is born, I want to marry you." He said reaching for her hand.

"So, you're not going to propose to me?"

"Why, were you going to say yes?" He teased.

"No!" She defended and even if the tone of her voice hadn't given her away, the blush that ensued definitely did.

"Oh, you so would have!" His eyes lit up even more as she rolled her eyes. Then, he remembered she hadn't given him any feedback.

"Bones?"

"Yes, Booth?" She took another bite of her salad as he stared down at his chicken Alfredo.

"You never really…told me what you thought."

She surprised him by laughing. He was confused if that was a good thing or a bad thing. _Well, she hasn't taken off running yet…that's gotta be good._ He thought to himself.

"Seeley," She surprised him again by using his first name, which he was immensely fond of. "I told you that you made me believe in love. That's quite the accomplishment. I have pondered it for a couple months—possibly years—and have concluded that I love you and am in love with you. While, I'm not sure what to do next or what the future holds—as that is impossible—I do know that I reciprocate your feelings fully. I do know that I have been sexually attracted by you since I met you. I don't think I want to get married anytime soon, though. Maybe I'll change my mind about that, seeing as you've changed my mind about everything else." She mused.

"Bones, we don't have to make that decision now." He said elated. "Maybe we'll go out on a date?"

"Isn't this kind of a date?" She said looking around at the very swank restaurant.

"Yeah, kinda. But, I mean, a _real_ date."

"Yes." She smirked. "Now let's get out of here."

He returned her smile and motioned for the waitress to bring him the check. Privacy, that's exactly what they needed. He shook his head as his mind entertained the notion of alone time with Bones and suggested various activities that would compromise his stated chivalry. Oh, but knowing that Bones wanted him too! He cleared his throat and readjusted in his seat trying to keep himself calm. He did not need _that_ embarrassment.

He paid and stood up in synchronization with Brennan. He reached for her hand and she reached for his. Their fingers interlocked. He beamed, clad with visible satisfaction. They entered the restaurant: partners, friends, complicated and confused. They exited as partners, friends, and a finally placid couple.

She couldn't help but to feel that same elevation that Booth so clearly felt. She wore an involuntary smile and felt like she should object and argue that this was much too corny for her taste, but she didn't have the will to do so. She felt electric. Every part of her was awake and running with a surging current of anticipation. She'd seen some of the movies that Angela had inflicted upon her, she wondered if he would kiss her or maybe more. She hoped for the latter, while she entertained those thoughts maybe just a little too long.

They reached the car and climbed inside, away from the cold. Not that they felt cold for one moment—no, they were on fire. Booth breathed slowly and tried to distract himself, while Brennan copied him.

She shifted in her seat and groaned softly.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he put his hand on her thigh to still her. Instead, she shifted even more under his hand.

"I'm feeling amorous." She confessed easily; never ashamed of her sexuality.

"Whoa, what?" He asked as he immediately removed his hand and focused on the road.

"Amorous…meaning sexually stimulated or anxious…?"

God, this was just his luck. She's feeling _amorous?_ Who the hell says that? Oh, it was _so hot_. He squirmed a little in his seat and readjusted his hands on the steering wheel. He bit his lip.

"You're feeling uh…horny?" He stammered.

"Yes. You are too…you're getting an erection." She chuckled as she glanced down at him. He groaned loudly.

"Dammit!"

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Seeley. It's a perfectly natural reaction. It means you're a very healthy male."

"Oh, God, Bones. Stop!" He exclaimed as every science-riddled word she said made his predicament worse. "Don't be squinty, don't say my name, don't look at my groin, none of that!"

"Why? I don't understand." She pouted.

"Oh God, not the pout!"

"Perhaps we should go to my apartment and release our sexual tension."

"I said no squint talk." He sighed. "No, we're not going to have sex tonight."

"We don't have to have sex…" She trailed off. "We can talk, watch a movie, kiss" She said the last word suggestively, sounding a bit like a seventeen year old girl.

"Uhh…a movie? Okay. Yeah, let's do that." He said as he drove to his apartment.

"I thought we were going to my apartment." She stated as he passed by the Jeffersonian.

"Nope, you said you wanted to watch a movie, you don't have a TV. So, we're going to mine." He was determined not to falter in his resolve to be chivalrous. A sneering part of his mind wondered where his chivalry was in the one night stands he had had before and why he was denying himself _Temperance Brennan_.

Because he wanted it to be special, he reminded himself.

"Fine" She turned towards the window. She formulated a plan in her head, after all, she was determined to discover Seeley and release his inhibitions. She had a funny feeling she would win.

She smiled deviously.

* * *

"C'mon Bones, it's a good movie." He said holding up a DVD case. Brennan rolled her eyes.

"_Happy Feet?_ It's a movie about a dancing penguin." She snorted. She didn't want to watch one of Parker's movies, she wanted to have sex. It was unlikely that the dancing penguin could get her in the mood.

"It's heartwarming."

"Why don't we just talk?" She advocated.

"Uhh…okay. Do you want something to drink…I have water or tea." He offered. "Sorry- I don't have much for a pregnant lady to drink."

"It's okay. I'll have water. You can drink, though."

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." He said.

"Oh okay, whatever you want." She waved her hand at him and looked away as he walked toward his kitchen.

She wasn't surprised when he came back with water for her, and a Jack and Coke for himself.

"So you opted for a drink?" She laughed.

"Yeah…I guess"

The air was stale and Brennan felt hopeless. She always got what she wanted, if she wanted it bad enough. She knew his weaknesses; it shouldn't be so damn hard. But Seeley was a strong man.

She hastily got up and turned on the stereo by his television. "It's too quiet." She explained as she looked back at him.

A slow melodic song with a good beat was on. She found herself dancing. She smiled to herself, knowing this could play to her advantages. She slowly swung her hips and then groaned, not feeling sexy at all with these stupid work clothes on.

"What is it?" He asked, shaking himself out of the trance she had him under. He had watched as she slowly danced to "Touch My Body." He was mesmerized by her fluidity in the way she moved. He felt very privileged at the moment and didn't dare move his eyes. He was dangerously close to taking her into the bedroom. Even in her work clothes, she looked like a sex goddess. He was admiring the way it hugged her in all the right places and imagined several things that he'd be embarrassed to admit aloud.

"It's these clothes. Good for work, terrible for relaxing." She informed him as she rolled her neck.

"Oh. Well, I have a t shirt, it's going to be really big on you, but it'll be better than what you're wearing." He said as he took in her outfit. She was still wearing her heels, work slacks, and a tight dress shirt. He wasn't complaining about how she looked now, but he knew there wouldn't be anything unsatisfactory about her in his clothes.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, definitely. Uh, help yourself, I'll be right here." He pointed towards his bedroom, and as she walked away, he watched her hips swing in her step.

He looked down at his suit and realized he was also uncomfortable in his attire and swiftly walked towards his bedroom and knocked three times on the door. "Bones?"

"I'm washing off my makeup in the bathroom." She called.

"Oh, well, I'm gonna change clothes, so don't come out!" He said as he entered his room and heard the water running, he figured she had heard. He walked over to his closet and pulled out an old band T-shirt. He routinely stripped off his suit and his boxers. He opened his drawer and pulled out a new pair and brainlessly threw them on the bed next to the shirt. He grabbed a pair of old sweats and set them down. He stared at the bed, without thinking for a good minute.

He heard her gasp. But when he instinctively turned around he was met with his beautiful Bones in his FBI T-shirt and a pair of his gym shorts. He enjoyed that sight way more than he should have. She was staring at his unsheltered and very excited member.

Even though it wasn't the first time she had seem him completely nude, she smiled appreciatively, knowing that this time she could touch.

"Oh my God!" He exclaimed as he turned around and reached for his boxers to cover himself. "Close your eyes!"

"Why? Booth, if I'm your girlfriend, why are you embarrassed? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before?" She said with her eyes still opening, and now admiring his chiseled chest.

"Because, I'm not…I don't know." He didn't have a good reason for the way his cheeks flushed ignominiously.

"I can assure you, Seeley, you have _nothing_ to be embarrassed about." Her voice lowered as she stepped towards him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, painfully aware of how close she was to his naked body.

"I have to get dressed." He said, still fighting himself to stay a gentleman. It wasn't fair when she stacked all the cards against him.

"No." She commanded him. He dropped the boxers he was holding, to move a piece of her hair out of her face. He felt so awkward and couldn't believe this was happening like this.

"Temperance, what am I supposed to do? I'm trying to be a gentleman."

"Perhaps you should stop that. Do what you know we both want to do, and have wanted for five years, and make me feel like a woman. Be a man, Seeley. Show me what you're made of. You want me. I want you. It's not so complicated."

"I don't want to move too fast, Temperance." He strained to speak. He was _so_ turned on. He wanted this so badly. He felt his body respond to their close proximity.

"Are you afraid you won't please me? I've fantasized about you for years. You're the one who made making love sound so appealing. _Make love to me, Seeley_." She ordered pressing herself against him.

She leaned in and pressed her lips to his mouth. "Kiss me," She ordered her lips still on his. He listened and kissed her. Their lips meshed together, and her tongue traced his lips and asked for entrance. He opened his mouth and their tongues swirled together. Breathing sharply and quickly, he deepened the kiss. His more chivalrous side told him that it was enough. But he silenced that part. He was getting what he wanted: Temperance. He moaned softly into her mouth.

"Oh, Bones! I love you so much." He whispered as he took his clothes off of her. He stepped back and admired what was in front of him. Pure ivory, a goddess, perfection, _the one_…he was speechless. He grabbed her shoulders and pulled her down on the bed.

"I love you too, Booth." She whispered as her lips roamed on his neck. His hands explored her body as she lay on top of him. They rested on her back. He pulled her face back to his and brought their lips together again. He rolled over on top of her. His hands on either side of her frame supported his weight.

His lips crashed onto hers. One of his hands moved to her back and caressed her tenderly.

"Are you ready, Bones?" He asked.

"Yes" She said confidently. Their skin touched and he rubbed against her. "Booth" She whispered as the fire in her burned more and more with his touch.

He breathed in deeply and entered her. She gasped, and then laughed. They kissed again. She moaned slightly with every move.

It was like heaven. This is what they were missing? What the hell were they waiting for? Booth knew now more than ever that he would marry her one day. They would have their child, maybe more. He wanted to grow old with this woman. It was the only woman he would ever want.

When they got tired and collapsed after what seemed like hours of making love, Brennan cuddled next to Booth and their legs tangled under the sheets.

"What the hell was that, Bones?" Booth said as he exhaled sharply and caught his breath. He kissed her forehead, wanting to do it all over again.

"Amazing sex." She breathed out as her index finger drew circles on his chest. She felt so satisfied. She chuckled as she laid her head on his shoulder. No one would ever be able to satisfy her except for him. She would never want anyone else.

"That's for sure. Why'd we wait so damn long?"

"That's what I want to know." She laughed.

"So…how was I…one to ten?" His eyebrows furrowed, hearing the awkwardness in his voice, despite the fact that he felt more comfortable than ever.

"Twenty." She said with a smile.

"That's not one to ten." He reminded her, imitating her always rational voice.

"Too bad" She dismissed. He was too good for a ten. She was still reeling. "What about me? I've been told I'm a very good sexual partner." She said proudly.

"Thirty." He said as he turned to kiss her. He felt euphoric. "You and me, Bones…you and me"

"You and me, Booth" She returned with the same feeling taking over her. She nudged closer to him and ran her fingers all the way down his chest. He shuddered with pleasure from her cool fingers on his burning body. She crouched over him. He reached up and tucked a lock of her wild, messy hair behind her ear. "I want you."

"Again?" He chuckled.

"Always" She corrected. She ran her fingers through his hair, still suspended above him. He grinned and looked at her hungrily. He pulled her down on top of him and they began again.

* * *

**Okay, I feel like I deserve reviews:) Thanks for your patience. And depending on the number of reviews I get, I just might post the next chapter tomorrow or even later tonight. **

**Yeah, they had sex. I think it could happen. It's inevitable. **

**Let me know what you think by reviewing. Did I say review enough? REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**

**(I don't want you to think I'm not grateful for the people who alert/favorite, but reviewing is awesome!)**

**Also, in case you all wondered--I don't own Bones...cause if I did, they would be married, have sex all the time, and have beautiful babies. **

**Okay that's it.**

**-Lacey**


	7. The Cat is Out of the Bag

**Wow thanks for the awesome response guys! I'll be writing chapter 7 until 2 am tonight, I'm sure.**

**Okay, a couple things to say. **

**1. Blogs are buzzing that in the season finale Booth and Brennan are going to get it on, for real this time. Fingers crossed?**

**2. Song of the day: Lay Back- Rick Ross/Robin Thicke. Or Bed Rock- Young Money. Sexy songs, that inspire me while I write some of the more provocative parts of my writing. **

**3. Thank you to all who favorite/alert but an extra special thank you to: Emma Mayy, basket-case1880, aail410, and ink-and-ash for your reviews.**

* * *

Brennan walked into the lab with a very large smile on her face. Booth was right next to her as always, standing a bit closer than usual. Her coworkers looked on curiously at them, noting the changes. In the five minutes, it took for them to make plans and say goodbye, he had not taken his hands off of her. Their gaze had not flickered away from each other; their smiles did not dissolve for even a second.

They embraced closely for a couple seconds and it looked like Booth had kissed her cheek, but the team wasn't sure.

"Bye Seeley. See you at lunch!" She said while she grinned at him. He began to walk away, when he reached the doors he turned around and smiled at her. She didn't move until he was out of sight. A slight frown appeared on her face but was replaced by a wide smile a second later. She briskly continued towards her office to prepare for work and breathe. She kept thinking about the night before. She kept smiling like an idiot. Her mind kept replaying their kiss in the car before they walked into the Jeffersonian. It was long and steamy and neither was content with stopping but a glance at the time reminded them that there was work to do.

Angela smiled unbelievingly. "I can't believe it." She said quietly shaking her head slowly. She knew that look—the one that her best friend couldn't shake—she hadn't seen it on Brennan before, but she could identify it. It was the look of someone in love.

She quickly made her way to catch up with Brennan. She was there sooner than she would've thought. Her smile mirrored her friend's. "Brennan, sweetie, I know that look." She said as she entered Brennan's office right after her.

"What look?" She asked, trying to compose herself.

"You know which look. You're glowing, Bren!" Angela noted. Brennan bit her lip and looked from side to side.

"Close the door." She said softly, not wanting anyone to hear. "Isn't that normal for pregnant women?" She asked quietly, but brimming with enthuasism.

"What! You're pregnant?!" Angela almost squealed.

"Well, two days. It's not one hundred percent, we don't know if the eggs took. The obstetrician thinks it did, though. He told me I was pregnant. I think so too."

"That's amazing, Sweetie!"

"I know" Brennan said smiling. "We're very excited." She said, using the plural for her and Booth. Angela didn't miss that. Her eyebrows arched.

"So, we were all wondering what happened to you…we thought you'd make Booth drive you back here. What happened?" Angela said trying to retain her composure, using "we" as a replacement for "I" which was a much more suitable pronoun.

"He coerced me into going to Belle Stella with him."

"Belle Stella?" Angela asked incredulously. "That's the most romantic restaurant in town"

Brennan nodded, biting a smile. Angela wanted her to gush about everything. While, Brennan would normally object, she felt compelled to tell someone, Angela seeming the perfect someone.

"Fitting as he told me he loved me." She said as slipped on her lab coat.

"He what? Oh, sweetie! What did you say?"

"The truth." Angela's eyebrows arched. "I told him I loved him too." Brennan smiled.

Angela could not contain her squealing. Finally, she thought. "Did he kiss you? Oh, my God! What happened next?"

"Well, we went to his apartment and were talking. I borrowed some of his clothes...we had sex."

"What!" Angela's jaw dropped. "How?"

"Well his penis…"

"No, no, sweetie, I know how you had sex; I mean…how did it happen?" Angela chuckled.

"Okay…well, in the car I admitted that I was feeling amorous…"

"And then he jumped you?" Angela laughed, imagining it.

"No, despite his very obvious erection, he was adamant on not having sex. I, however, was resolved to. I was dancing and then, I asked if I could borrow something more comfortable to wear and he said yes. I was washing my face in the bathroom and when I came out, he was naked."

"He was waiting for you, naked?" She licked her lips, loving the very sexy mental picture.

"No, he was changing clothes, or about to. He was embarrassed at first, and was going to get dressed, but I ordered him not to. We kissed and then, we had intercourse." She involuntarily grinned at the last part.

"Oh God! Was he good? Of course he was good! Look at you sweetie, you look like someone who had really great sex last night!" She rambled.

"He was excellent."

"Better than Sully?" Angela said remembering Brennan's pleasure with Sully.

"Better than anyone"

"Oh my God! This is so hot!" She fanned herself with a file. "Was he...um...big?"

"Are you speaking of his penis size?" Angela nodded. "Let's just say I'm very, very satisfied." She answered her friend.

"So are you like a couple, now?" Angela asked. "Sorry about the twenty questions, you know I live vicariously through you."

"It hasn't been twenty questions. You've nothing to apologize for." Brennan pulled on a pair of latex gloves. "Yes, you could call us that" Angela beamed at her while they headed towards the platform.

"Okay, there is way too much smiling going on" Cam commented as she saw her female coworkers grinning ear to ear. There must've been some girl talk in that office. Girl talk, she wasn't involved in. She was never involved. It stung a bit and made her feel a little out of the loop. This was about Seeley and Dr. Brennan. She used to date him; she could be very useful in that conversation. Sometimes she felt like the lab viewed her as simply the boss or one of the guys. She knew she was being, as Dr. Brennan would say, irrational. Angela and Dr. Brennan were best friends. She shrugged it off and made a cynical remark.

"Agreed. Does this have anything to do with your PDA earlier Dr. B?" Hodgins asked curiously.

"PDA?" Brennan looked confused.

"Public Display of Affection, Bren." Angela said, nudging Brennan.

"Oh, what public display of affection? We merely hugged."

"For like an hour! He kissed you on the cheek and you guys were acting like teenagers over there!" He laughed. Brennan blushed—something she rarely did.

"We do have a case here, harassing Dr. Brennan, as amusing as it may be, is not our primary objective today." Cam reminded the team but secretly wondered herself what was going on.

"Says you!" Hodgins exclaimed.

"Thanks Cam." Brennan looked at her thankfully. She then looked down at the skeleton.

"You said you identified him?" Brennan asked, looking at Angela.

"Yes, Clark assisted." Angela said looking around. "Where is Clark?"

"I'm right here, Angela. I left when things got personal over here. Now, that we're back to the case, I'm here to assist as needed." Clark said appearing up the stairs.

He nodded towards Brennan. "His name is Justin Wickler: age 28. He went missing a month ago. He has a record for drug trafficking"

"I'll inform Booth." Brennan offered immediately.

"We already faxed it to him." Clark said with a smile, feeling accomplished.

"Oh." Brennan said as she looked down.

"He'll want to pick you up and interrogate her as soon as possible" Angela said quickly. Brennan's face automatically lit up again.

Hodgins looked at Angela questioningly. There was something different.

"Where'd you run off to yesterday?" Hodgins asked casually to Dr. Brennan. No one apart from Angela, Booth, and herself knew that she was pregnant or that Booth had even agreed to have a child with her.

"I had an appointment with an obstetrician." She said truthfully. Everyone except for Angela seemed surprised, even Clark.

"You went with Booth?" Cam asked.

"Of course, he made the appointment." She said.

_What?_ Everyone in the lab—apart from Brennan and Angela—seemed to be thinking the same thing.

"Why would he make an appointment for you to see an obstetrician?" Cam asked.

"We went together. We saw the doctor. I'm pregnant." She said, now getting annoyed with having to explain everything.

Everyone who was not previously informed of this was shocked. Jaws dropped, confused faces, it annoyed Brennan.

"Why do you all look so shocked?" she asked.

"You just told us you were pregnant. It's Booth's?" Cam asked, being the only one capable of words.

"Yes."

"I didn't know you two were shacking up! Way to go Dr. B!" Hodgins exclaimed humorously offering his hand for a high-five.

"I don't know what that means." She said as she left his hand untouched.

"Sex, Bren, it means sex."

"Oh! No, we didn't have sex then! We didn't conceive the child in that sense; I was artificially inseminated." She explained.

"Well congratulations Dr. Brennan" Cam smiled. Then she thought about Dr. Brennan's sentence, particularly the first segment. "Wait—then?"

Brennan ducked her head, flushed. She was never embarrassed about her sexual relationships, but these were her coworkers and it was Booth. Everyone knew Booth. She felt awkward in this discussion.

To her surprise, the team roared in laughter, even Clark and Angela, at her omission. "Well, finally" Cam said.

"Score Dr. B!" Hodgins said, this time, not offering his hand to the clueless anthropologist.

"Can we move onto the case?" Clark asked, uncomfortably.

"Yes, I'm sure we've embarrassed Dr. Brennan enough." Cam said after stifling just one more guffaw.

Brennan just shrugged and looked down at the skeleton, not focused at all. She was very bored and annoyed with her work atmosphere at the moment. Just in time, she heard his voice.

"Bones!" He called as he swiped his platform card and approached her. "Hey, we have the girlfriend in the interrogation room." He smiled.

"Okay, let me just get my jacket." She said as she headed towards her office with him in tow. Her friends looked curiously after the couple, laughing and then returning to work.

Booth looked at his girlfriend in her lab coat and nodded appreciatively. When they got into her office, she was about to strip off her lab coat when he stopped her. He closed her office door and smiled at her.

"Hey baby" He greeted as he took her into his arms.

"Hey" She breathed. "These past couple hours were insufferable." She whispered against his neck.

"Without me? I know. I couldn't stop thinking about you either."

She laughed. "It's not just that. Angela attacked me the second you left and fired off an arsenal of questions. Hodgins and Cam, too." She exhaled.

"I'm sorry, but hey, it's just us now! It's just us now to the interrogation room and back and then when we go home tonight, it'll be just _us_" She smiled at him and at the very enticing prospect of being alone with Booth, completely alone. She didn't miss that he used a plural when he referred to home, it was strangely comforting.

"I'm looking forward to that." She said as she again attempted to shed her lab coat.

"Wait." He said as he grabbed her arm.

"What?" She chuckled.

"You look _so_ sexy right now." He informed her as he evaluated her head to toe. "Shake out your hair." He said.

"Why?" She asked. He gave her no answer, he just smirked. She did it anyway, releasing her hair from the bun it was in and sensually shaking it out. "Like that?"

"Exactly like that." He whispered. "Now say something squinty or reprimand me."

"Is this like that librarian fantasy you had on the plane to China?"

"Sort of" _Sort of better,_ he thought.

"It appears you are stimulated by subjective auditory and aesthetic imaginations. If you would like me to comply with your desires, I'd be exceedingly elated to oblige you, Special Agent Booth."

"Thank you." He said as he closed his eyes for a second. Then he laughed.

"Was that good?"

"That was perfect, Temperance." He said as he pulled her to him. He put his arms tight around her back. She brought her lips to his softly. He deepened the kiss and stripped off her lab coat and threw it to the side. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to a clear spot on her desk and sat her down. She kissed him hungrily.

"I _really_ missed you today." She whispered between kisses.

"You and I, both" He replied.

She loosened his tie and began to pull it off.

"Baby" he whispered as she began unbuttoning his shirt. "You know I want you right now, right?"

"Obviously"

"You know we can't do this here?" He reminded her as she ran her fingers down his chest.

"Sure we can, it's _my_ office." She wrapped her legs even tighter around him and traced her tongue over his lips.

"I love you" He said as he pulled away. "but I know you, and I know that you don't want to do this in here. It's your work office."

"You had your fantasy, this is mine."

"We have a murder suspect in the interrogation room." He carefully reminded her.

"Oh. That's right, I forgot." It was too easy to forget about things when she was involved with him. She never had a problem with incoherency before but now she was in love. And apparently, that changes everything about the dynamics of a relationship and the ability to retain logic.

"I wish I had come by for a quickie in your office" He winked.

"Tonight…" she trailed off while she pressed her lips to his.

"will be" another kiss.

"the best night" ...another kiss.

"of your life" She kissed him just once more, before she buttoned his shirt up and tied his tie.

"Let's go, Booth" She said, batting her eyes flirtatiously as she got off her desk, put on her jacket and opened the office door. He stood there, touched his lips, smoothed his tie, and smirked. Did she know how to make a man feel like a man!

They exited her office and a few curious eyes looked at them, her hair was slightly disheveled and he had a goofy smirk on his face. Angela burst out laughing and muttered "next thing you know they'll be in the Egyptian bed" to Hodgins with a wink. He laughed with her as Clark muttered something about dignity in the workplace.

Booth smoothed out her hair. "They all think we had sex."

"Maybe we should've." She laughed. "They'll be convinced of it either way." She threw him a playful glance as they walked toward his car. She, then, had a mischievous smile spread on her face. He reached for her hand and wondered what tonight would bring him.

Then he smiled.

* * *

**Review for next chapter! **

**Next chapter: interrogation, FBI, and Brennan's "special night" with Booth. :) **

**I hope this M-rated stuff doesn't annoy you. I enjoy writing it. I live vicariously through my writing! (That's depressing) **

**No, really, if anything doesn't make sense or seem clear...keep in my I'm a sixteen year old girl in high school who is very much virginal and very much in love with _Bones_ and BOOTH. **

**That being said, please review.**

**-Lacey**


	8. I Want to Sex You Up

**Another long chapter stemming from my guilt over not updating. I promise I'll update faster. I'm already half way through the next chapter. There are parts that I'm not in love with here and there...but I can't translate exactly what I want.**

**Also, you might remember this during those long period of no updates (sorry!) I'm sixteen so I've got a lot of homework. And I've been extremely ill lately, I'm okay now, though. And I've got a choir competition coming up (CROSS YOUR FINGERS!) and I'm working on other projects as well. I've got my writing class. I've got essays. I've got college stuff coming up. I've got not only this story (which I'll admit is my favorite) but a couple others I'm working on. I've got two that I haven't even released at all. I've got one that's not Bones and its for my BFF. And I've got a book I'm writing.**

**Still that's no excuse, and I apologize. Also, here's to my reviewers last chapter! Thank you!!!**

**EmmyMayyy**

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**SuthunLady**

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**ink-and-ash**

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**THANK YOU!!!! Please review...even though I'm not too keen on this chapter. I'm sorry this AN is soooo long. I don't own Bones and yeah, I'm done now!**

* * *

They had made it back to the Hoover in a reasonable amount of time. It might have been quicker if once Booth parked Brennan hadn't tried to jump him. They kissed but when Seeley felt that urge rising, he abruptly stopped, exited the vehicle, and proceeded toward the building.

She was chagrined and a little ashamed. She was Temperance Brennan, after all. Her name itself spoke for something. It literally meant self control: something which ironically she didn't seem to have at the moment. Things were pathetic (or exciting) when she couldn't keep it in her pants for a couple of hours. Of course, she's never been in love. She's never wanted someone so bad. She's never wanted anyone beyond the physical desires—until Booth, that is.

They walked unified into the interrogation room, Sweets stood on the opposite side of the mirror.

Brennan sat down, while Booth stayed standing. He rested his palms on the table in front of him. Their eyes, in unison, widened at the very pregnant girlfriend of the deceased.

"_Oh!_ Finally the FBI is here. Not like I've been here all morning. Not like it's uncomfortable in this damn chair. Not like I have places to be." She grumbled. She was very agitated, Brennan noted.

Brennan looked up at her boyfriend with a questioning look. Surely they could accommodate her in some way…

"Don't worry about it Bones, she's just having one of those end of pregnancy hormone fits" He smirked, a dangerous choice. The woman growled.

"Will I be so cantankerous?" She asked, fearfully.

"_God_, I hope not." He exhaled. "I mean, no, of course not" He amended after a glare from both women.

"You're pregnant? Wow, you're not even showing." The woman said with a bit of jealous marking her tone.

"It's _very_ early in my pregnancy. When are you due?" She asked sweetly.

"I could pop any moment. I'm thirty seven weeks." She crudely remarked. Brennan spotted a spare chair and pushed it the woman's way, allowing her to put her feet up.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Beck, we're being very rude. I'm Dr. Temperance Brennan from the Jeffersonian and this is my partner Special Agent Seeley Booth. We're very sorry about your wait"

"Don't worry about it, you're pregnant, don't let that_ fool_ rush you any where! Take as much time as you want getting ready and if he says anything…_remind_ him of the _very_ painful labor you're going to go through to deliver_ his_ child." She sent derisive glance after derisive glance towards Booth. Booth rolled his eyes.

"How did she know you were the father?" Brennan asked, in her earpiece, she heard a very annoying psychologist mutter _'You guys decided to go through with it? We're going to discuss this, guys. Can't believe you didn't tell me!'_

Booth shrugged. "So Stephenie Beck, when did Justin go missing?" He asked.

"I'm not sure exactly. He wasn't around a lot, but I saw him twice a week usually. He left one morning and after a week of not seeing him I called the police."

"Can you be more specific?"

"He left a month ago, last Tuesday of the previous month. He said he had a meeting?" Stephenie answered. She flipped her blonde hair back and remained vague.

"What kind of meeting, Ms. Beck?" He was irritated. _'She's purposely being unclear to avoid admitting something. It's either because she doesn't want to admit it to herself, because she could become a suspect, or because she's very cynical toward government, the second being most likely.'_ Sweets evaluated

"Or should we mention that he was found with a bag of coke in his mouth?" He pressed leaning in toward her. Her eyes widened and for a brief second she cursed her deceased boyfriend. She bit her lip and her eyes rolled to both sides of her eye. She remained silent. He slammed his hands on the table. "Ms. Beck?"

"Okay! I knew. I told him he needed to stop. We got in a fight about it the day he left. I caught him on the phone with a man about a deal. When he hung up, I told him that I would not establish paternity if he kept dealing." She looked down at her manicured nails.

"Is that child his?" Brennan asked in what would have been her usual cold questioning, but it came off as softer, sweeter.

"Of course! Why else would I stick with that loser?!" She scoffed.

"Do you have an alibi for January 5th?" Booth inquired as he turned a chair around and sat on it.

"I called it in! Am I seriously a suspect? I called it in! If I murdered him, why would I call it in?"

"Because it makes you seem less guilty" Booth stated harshly.

"Yes. I was at the doctor's. His name is Dr. Shepherd. I'll get you his number if you want to call…" She looked at Brennan as she pulled out the card. Brennan shook her head and muttered her obstetrician's name.

She paused and then her eyes widened dramatically. "You know who you should check out? This guy that Justin used to do business with…uh Eric Higgins. He's real shady. They were kinda workin' together for a while, but I guess things went south after Justin caught Eric stealing from him."

"Do you have his number or a way we can contact him?" Booth asked fighting a smile. That was a lead. That was motive.

"As a matter of fact…" She searched through her small yellow wallet and handed him a piece of notebook paper with a number and name in sloppy cursive. "I do. Here, can I go? My OB wants to see me once a week now, being so close and all. I've got an appointment." She brightened a little at the mention of the word _close._

"Yeah, we'll be in contact though" Booth warned. He helped Stephenie up and she waddled towards the door.

"You've already experience lightening! You could go into labor this week." Brennan exclaimed pointing at swollen belly.

"I know, right? Looks like you've got a couple months before any of that"

"Nine" Brennan laughed.

"Wow. Next month's gonna SUCK for you, honey. Just a little warnin'. This is the easiest part…when you can't feel anything" she smiled as she gestured at the difference between the two of them. Stephenie stood awkwardly with her hand on her back. Brennan unconsciously touched her right hand to her abdomen.

"Is it a boy or a girl?" Brennan asked eagerly. She wanted some time to hurry up and pass. She hated this idle period so far.

"Boy." She smiled. "I'm gonna name him Justin, even though his daddy was a good for nothing coke dealer, he was still his daddy." She rubbed her belly. "What about you?"

"Oh, it's way too soon to know"

"That's right, but what do you think?" She arched her eyebrow. "I knew he was a boy all along"

"That's very unlikely, but I'm hoping for a girl." The women continued to chat and Booth via earpiece conversed with Sweets in a less than pleasant manner. Though, when Brennan mentioned her hopes of a little girl, Booth lightened and smiled briefly before returning to Sweets.

"Hey honey, I hate to break up this chat, but Sweets wants to meet us in his office in five minutes for a _'mandatory evaluation'_" Booth's annoyance was not very well masked.

"Okay. Nice talking to you Stephenie!" She said as they parted.

"Bye Dr. Brennan! Oh and remember to make that clown treat you like that queen you are!" She shouted after her. Brennan stifled a laugh.

"You're in cohorts with a suspect?" He teased.

"What do you think Sweets wants?" She changed the subject to one that had worried her quite a lot. What if this terminated their partnership? Could she work through that? No.

"I'm not worried. He's _acting_ tough, but my buddy Ryan told me that Sweets and some of the other guys had a bet this would happen in some way" He smirked out of irritation. "Not only is he making sixty bucks off of us but whatever his psychological mumbo jumbo worst sellers book makes too"

"A _bet_? That's very intrusive, not to mention _unlawful._" She would remind the young quack of that, too. "And his book may be filled with psycho blabber but he was right about us…"

"Psychobabble, baby, it's filled with psychobabble" He said as he ushered her into the elevator and gently kissed her temple.

~-~*~-~

They took their usual seats in the young psychologist's office and he leaned against his desk. This time was different from any other visit they had with him. They scooted closer to each other. His hand was on her knee and she was inclined toward him. They addressed each other in private glances as if speaking their own Brennan-Booth vernacular. All of this was duly noted on the yellow legal pad Sweets held in his left hand.

"So, Dr. Brennan, you're expecting?"

"Boy, you just jump right in, huh, Sweets?" Booth asked with a disgruntled and defensive demeanor.

"Yes" she allowed as she again unconsciously rubbed her flat abdomen. "I can understand why he believes my pregnancy is important to our working relationship. A lot of changes will occur, temporarily, especially in the later months. I'll probably have to be restricted to the lab once I'm further along" She realized looking at Booth, not Sweets.

Sweets didn't miss that either and recorded.

"Yeah, I was gonna talk to you about that later…I'm glad we're on the same page" He smiled. She returned the expression. "But I'll miss you out in the field."

"Well you could always stop by the lab more often" She suggested

"That's an excellent idea, Dr. Brennan!" He smiled as his hand made its way over hers on her flat abdomen. "Though, there's always _after_ work" He reminded her.

It felt wrong for Sweets to be there. It felt uncomfortable. He felt like he was viewing a series of private moments, but it was too rich and full of insight for him to ignore. He cleared his throat and the partners who had almost completely forgotten his presence turned back toward him.

"You have assumed a romantic relationship?" Sweets tried to stay professional, but he was feeling good. He had proved his theory in his book correct and he's gained sixty dollars. He smiled when he thought of how he would take Daisy out to dinner with that money. That would get him something, right?

"Yes" Booth nodded.

"Now, that, I don't find pertinent to this session. I think he's just interested in our personal life aside from the professional aspect." She chuckled teasingly.

"Of course he is! Everyone wants to know about us, Bones! We're hot." He winked.

"Is that true, Sweets, do you think we're _hot_?" The words sounded so foreign on her lips that Booth burst out laughing and put his arm around her as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Which, he faintly noted, it was.

"Are we _hot_, Sweets?" Booth asked and they continued to tease him how they usually did. "Bones, we should probably tone it down a little. He's just a kid, it's too mature for his virginal eyes" Booth snickered.

"Guys, this is immature and obviously is an attempt to keep me from doing my evaluations on you." He complained. "And my eyes are not _virginal!" _He exclaimed. "How is your relationship? Any problems?"

"We've been together a day…" Booth trailed off, looking quizzically at her.

"He definitely just wants gossip to share." She looked at Booth and then at Sweets and back at Booth. She not so discreetly put her hand over her mouth and stage whispered "He's like a teenage girl…or one of those elderly religious women"

"Or more money from a bet…" Booth growled at Sweets and smirked at his partner.

"Which by the way, Dr. Sweets, is not encouraged at the FBI. And not appreciated by us" She huffed at the psychologist with intimidating eyes. Sweets was taken back.

"Yeah, she's pretty pissed about that." Booth warned.

"Okay, fine, you guys can go for today. It's _obvious_ we're not going to talk about anything beneficial today." He slightly pouted, feeling unaccomplished. He was sure he would look like even more of a kid, now.

~-~*~-~

Booth and Brennan held hands in the elevator. They had made promises to each other and themselves that they would not share PDA, as Hodgins had called it, in their workplaces. At least not on the forensic platform or in the Hoover, offices excluded.

They were alone in the elevator with thirteen floors down to go. He did steal a quick kiss and then explained that he couldn't help himself.

"I can't wait for tonight." She whispered almost inaudibly, but he still heard her.

"Oh, just what am I in for?" He wondered mischievously.

"I'm not entirely sure yet. I've thought a lot about it. Ange told me it's sexier to be spontaneous though, so I'm planning to be spontaneous…but I keep thinking" The irritation was obvious in her voice. He wondered if she caught the irony of planning to be unplanned.

"You don't have to be spontaneous. I like you how you are: Logical, pragmatic, planning. I'm excited, though." He smiled widely.

"I'm sure you are…I would be too, if I were you." His eyes widened slightly in anticipation. God, he was starting to love his life more and more every day.

They prattled about little things until they reached his apartment. It was already a little late, late enough to want to relax together. Late enough to be done with all thoughts of work, something Temperance thought wasn't so possible.

"Booth," she called. "Am I sleeping over again?" she asked from the living room.

"Uhh…I don't know…do you want to?" He asked from his bedroom where he was slipping off his shoes. She joined him and helped him take off his tie. "I'd like you to stay, Bones"

"I don't have any clothes" She said.

"I don't think that's a problem" He said as he waggled his eyebrows. She closed her eyes and stifled a giggle.

"I mean, for work tomorrow. I can't wear the same thing"

"We can drop by early tomorrow like we did this morning" He suggested.

"Sounds good," She smiled as she kicked off her heels and took off her jewelry.

"You gonna invite me to your place sometime?"

"You're always invited" She said as she tugged at his dress shirt and unbuttoned it.

"I know…so what are we doing, alternating places every week?" He joked.

"I wasn't aware we were living together." She mused.

"Oh, well that's not what I meant. I was kidding, but if you want…" He offered as he slid on a T shirt and shorts.

"I don't know, maybe." She wanted to say yes. She wanted to say yes, because she couldn't stand to be far apart from him right now. She wanted near him every second. But she was reluctant, because a part of her reminded her that she didn't want to give up her independence just yet. It was still early in their relationship. A day, in fact, although she considered them to be an item longer than that…they had stopped seeing other people in consideration of the other a while ago, how had they not recognized it then?

She was pregnant, too. Even though, she could get along well by herself right now, she was sure that it would be nice to have him near as her pregnancy developed further. She thought of another issue as she connected the two afore thoughts. Where would they raise the baby? It may work to go back and forth between their apartments while the baby was still growing in vitro, but what about when the baby was born? They couldn't hop back and forth. Their baby deserved stability and permanence. She wanted to know his thoughts on the matter but also knew she was getting ahead of herself. She resolved to keep her mouth closed for now. This night was about romance.

"Okay, Bones" He smiled and kissed her forehead.

They curled up on his couch, after they changed clothes. They both drank tea, because Booth vowed not to drink while she couldn't. They watched a hockey game; Booth explained it all to her as she inquired at various times.

She was feeling secure. His arms were wrapped tightly around her and she smiled. They were a family in official ways. She was carrying his child. Her mind danced with that bubbling around in it. She could say it over and over and never get tired of it. She was having his baby.

"I love you" she reminded him. It felt so nice to hear those words and to say them. He felt a surge of happiness charge through him every time she kissed him or she told him that. She was finally his.

"And I love you" He pressed his lips against her sweetly. She wondered when their night would truly begin.

~-~*~-~

"You're so beautiful" He whispered as he pressed his lips under her ear. She giggled as his lips brought goose bumps to her skin.

"Thank you" She whispered as her hands explored the muscled definition of his chest.

"I'll do whatever you tell me to, Bones." He informed her sweetly as his lips left a cool trail down her neck toward her chest.

"I'm supposed to be making this the best night of _your_ life, Seeley, not the other way around" She frowned as she rolled over.

"You are. I love to make love to you."

"No. I'm in charge tonight. You made me scream last night. Tonight it's my turn to make you say my name" She said decidedly.

"_Temperance_"

"Anything, Booth, anything; I'm not sexually inhibited." She was matter of fact but with passionate undertones.

Seeley thought he would have to establish a new rule: no squint talk in bed. But he found that he immensely enjoyed it, when she said the right things.

"That, Bones. Talk like that." He whispered as he continued to kiss down her body, he had reached her navel. "And let me make love to you"

"If that is satisfactory…I can concede to your wishes, Booth" Her voice faltered slightly at his name as his lips moved to the inside of her thighs. He liked that a great deal. He smiled and carried on with his mission: his favorite mission yet.

"Oh, it's satisfactory." He breathed, his breath meeting her inner thighs. He paused for a minutes as he neared closer and closer to his target.

"Booth" Her voice came out high and strangled. "Don't stop" Her core heated and desperately demanded attention. He teased her and brought his lips even a little closer and then paused again.

"How do you say that again?" He asked, requesting her special speak.

"Do not discontinue your current ministration…please" She unsuccessfully tried to level her voice as he returned to his treatments.

"Say my name, Temperance"

"No" She replied, trying to remain in control. It was awfully hard not to give in when he was touching her like that. His gentle hands caressed her hips, her legs, her back, her abdomen. His tongue ran over her and she clinched her eyes shut and breathed in deeply.

"Say my name. Say what you want, Bones. Tell me what you want. Tell me who makes you feel like this" He commanded in a gentle but authoritative voice.

"Booth…Booth. It's you, Oh god it's you!" She whispered as he gave her what she wanted and his lips ran over her. He continued his exploits and she threw her head back muttering "good, great, and amazing" or some variation over and over, frequenting with his name.

He could sense her breaking point coming and he abruptly stopped. The disappointment on her face became immediately evident. "Booth, Booth, honey, what are you doing?" She asked, surprising herself with the use of a pet name, which she detested.

"What you really want, _honey_" He smirked as he slid out of his boxers.

She took in the sight of him again. Her eyes widened in excitement. She hadn't realized she was licking her lips until she felt the moisture on them.

"Say it, Bones" He ordered as his lips met hers. He spoke against her lips, not wanting to move.

"I want you, Booth. I need you."

"Ask me." He said.

"Don't be masochistic, Booth." She chided as her lips met his again and her hands ran up his thighs.

"Ask me." He repeated.

"Will you…please accommodate my yearning in order to release my biological inclination?" She asked in the only way she could. She felt awkward any other way. She'd never had to ask someone to sleep with her; many had been all too willing to do so without a word in edgewise.

"Gladly" He smiled at her, taking much pleasure in her tone of voice and the way she spoke. Her words incited a reaction within him. He thrust into her. Her immediate gasp didn't disappoint him.

"Oh Seeley!" She called as he pumped into her excitedly. "Seeley, Seeley, Seeley!" She shouted.

There was nothing that didn't excite him about Temperance. There wasn't anything that wasn't sexy about her. He always wanted her. Her voice broke as she continued to whisper his name. He pressed his lips to hers as the sound of his name on her lips brought him even more enthusiasm.

"Almost there, Temperance"

He had reached her breaking point. She dug her nails into his back as he ventured deeper. She screamed his name in ecstasy and they ended together. He collapsed on top of her.

Their labored breath mixed as they breathed in each other's face.

He rolled off her and neared closer to him. She rested her head on his chest. "Oh my god, Booth" She whispered against his chest as her hand drew circles on his chest.

"You kept your word, alright" He stated as he kissed the top of her head.

"That was the best night of your life?" She asked incredulously.

"One of them," He switched the tone of his voice as he sighed. "Definitely the best I've ever had" He chuckled. This was the second night in a row he found himself saying that.

"What was the best?" She asked curiously.

"The night Parker was born, last night, and tonight" He smiled. "And when she is born, that will be another. And when you agree to marry me. And when you actually do marry me." He added

"What makes you so sure I'm going to marry you, Booth?" She asked, knowing that it was probably likely.

"I don't know for sure…but I'm hoping in the future it'll happen. We're a family Bones. We're having a baby in less than a year. We're a family and I want to marry you." His face took on an endearing smile. "I love you Bones. I'm so in love with you"

"Say that again." She commanded as her heart did a somersault, it felt.

"I'm in love with you, baby, I love you" He repeated, not losing any fervor the second time he said it. He pressed a firm kiss against her lips.

"I love you too." She giggled. "I feel like a teenager. I feel silly"

"It's called being in love"

"I love you" She said again. "And one day, when she is born, I probably will" She stopped, realizing she wasn't ready to say that. Even if she meant it, even if she wanted to. She wasn't ready to get married, yet. It was still very early for them. Even though it felt like years.

"Finish that." He requested.

"No…I'm not ready to say it."

"Okay, you can tell me later, then." He smiled inside, realizing what she was going to say. He could wait to hear it. He could wait until she was ready to audibly admit it. He could wait, because he knew that she meant it and that she loved him almost as much as he loved her.


	9. Heartbeat

**Sorry for the wait. I've been working on this and working and working. I'm not in love with this chapter, but I felt that it was needed. We needed to jump further into the story. Not too big of a jump though. Also, I feel like I've done well with my research. The human heart begins beating 22 days into pregnancy, so I feel it's accurate. But keep in mind, I've never been pregnant. All of this is based upon research, my high school Child Development class, and my imagination. So please forgive any slight inaccuracies.**

**Also...while I love Forensic Science with everything in me and I deeply long to be a Forensic Anthropologist, I'm not. Next year I'm enrolled to take some classes at my high school about it (because you have to be junior to take it, I can't take it until next year) so no matter how much research I try to get in, I'm not quite perfect yet.**

**Please remember this and enjoy:) thank you to those who reviewed and continue to review. Thank you to those who favorite and set this to alert. Thanks to everyone who reads. It means a hell of a lot to me.**

* * *

_Six weeks later…_

"This will be cold" Dr. Priestly warned her. She smiled up at Booth who held her hand and looked down softly at her. He squirted the gel onto her and it was cold, she squirmed slightly. "I told you" He smirked.

"I didn't believe you" She admitted. She looked up at Booth with a large smile on her face. They were very much together and very much happy.

"Alright, let's see how your baby is doing" He ran the remote over her abdomen and found the tiny baby. "Do you hear that?" the obstetrician asked.

"Is that a heartbeat?" Booth asked as the steady drumming came through the monitor speakers.

"That is exactly what it is, Agent Booth." The doctor smiled at the sheer happiness depicted on his face.

"It's perfect." Brennan said. She had said before that nothing could be truly perfect, but her baby, her baby was absolutely perfect. Despite the feeling of pregnancy truly taking over, Brennan loved every second of this. Her hormones picked up, her breasts were swelling slightly, she found herself needing to urinate more frequently, she was tired, and she was often nauseous, but she was happy to be feeling pregnant. She often though it ironic, that while other women dreaded gaining weight and showing, Brennan was anxious to be showing. She looked in the mirror a couple times a day to check if she was any bigger. She really wasn't yet.

Dr. Priestly pointed toward the monitor. "This is the baby's legs, arms, and there's its face." He said pointing at the individual parts. "The facial features are just starting to develop along with the organs and bones."

"A baby has more than 206 bones…they fuse together as he or she grows" She said softly as she stared at the tiny ultrasound. She was trying not to cry; she told herself she wasn't going to that morning. She was doing way too much of that.

"Listen to that heartbeat…Bones, she's going to be perfect" He said as he squeezed her hand softly and took in the sound of his baby's heartbeat.

"We won't be able to detect the sex of the baby for another twelve weeks." Dr. Priestly acknowledged his use of "she"

"We want a girl, doc." Booth smirked. "So come through for us!" He said in a mocked stern voice.

"Booth!" She said as she smacked his arm playfully. "You know he can't do that…" She smiled. "Can you?" She bit her lip.

"No such luck, Dr. Brennan" Booth snapped his fingers against his knee lightheartedly.

"Well, your baby seems healthy. Keep doing what you've been doing; I know you're doing fine. I'll see you three next month. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to call." He finished.

"Thanks, doc." Booth said as he helped his girlfriend up and laced their fingers together. As they walked out of the building and toward his car, he pulled her towards him for a kiss. "I love you, beautiful"

"I love you too." She said as their lips continued to mesh. "Oh." She stopped and pulled away.

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"I'll be right back. You stay put." She ordered as she briskly walked to the side of the building, away from people. She didn't notice Booth was following her until he was holding her hair as she was getting sick.

"No, Booth. Go away. You don't need to see this" She argued as her stomach heaved again.

"Don't be silly, Bones." He sat as he pat her back. "We're in this together." He reminded her. "Are you okay?"

"Just a little morning sickness…despite the connotation the name gives, morning sickness can take place at any time of the day. It seems like I'm most vulnerable around noon" She grumbled.

"Are you done?" He asked, concerned.

"I think so…" She was embarrassed again. She pulled out the Kleenex she'd taken to carrying with her. She found them extremely helpful during this month.

She didn't understand why he was so adamant on taking care of her. Every time she was tired, or sick, he was there taking perfect care of her.

"Okay, let's go to the diner and get some food in you and my daughter" He smiled with the words on his lips. He pulled out a piece of gum from his pocket and handed it to her. He'd become accustomed to carrying her favorite breath refresher with him for times like these.

"Thanks" She smiled as she popped the stick in her mouth. "You really do take good care of me" She noted as he pressed his lips to hers.

"I try. I gotta do what's best for you and for our baby. You, Parker, and that baby are my entire world."

"Parker…we have to tell him soon. I was thinking we'd wait until it was more concrete. Or until I was starting to show, but I don't think that'd be fair to him. Does Rebecca know?"

"Yeah, Rebecca knows. We'll tell Parker this weekend when we have him." He smiled as he drove with one hand on the wheel and the other in hers. She didn't miss that he used the pronoun "we"

"Booth, there's something that's been on my mind…"

"By all means, Bones, spill"

"When our baby is born, where are we going to live? We can't alternate apartments once she's born" She said. She scolded herself for referring to her child as a female. She didn't want to be too surprised if it was a boy.

"I was thinking we'd get our own place together. One big enough for the four of us."

"Yeah…me too." She agreed quietly. "One she could grow up in…maybe it has a yard or a pool." She mused. "I want so much for her. I want everything for her." She whispered.

"That's normal, Bones, that's good. You're going to be a great mom"

"You're an excellent father" she squeezed his hand. "I'm glad we did this"

"Me too, baby, everything feels right. I've got you in every way I can think of which is perfect by me."

"I know what you mean." She smiled and then sheepishly added, "Which ways exactly?"

"Well, you're my partner" he started "my girlfriend and the mother of my child" He said lovingly.

"You have more than one child." She remarked.

"The mother of my unborn child, then." He amended. "And I love you."

"I love you too Booth." She smirked.

Booth's phone began to ring. He retrieved it from his belt while steadily holding onto the wheel.

"Booth" he answered. Brennan looked onto him and wondered if this was about their stagnant case. "Damn. Alright, alright, I'll tell her." There was a silence. "Well you're sure he's clean? Damn it. Okay, bye."

"Booth?" Brennan asked inquisitively, a question waiting in her eyes.

"The drug dealer…he came up clean. His alibi held. Now we don't have a suspect! Back to square one."

"Not necessarily. Stephenie Beck didn't have an alibi."

"How would she kill someone when she was seven months pregnant?"

"Well, I'd have to run an experiment, but I guess that it would be very much possible." She said softly.

"No, I mean, she's carrying a life…and she of all people should know the beauty of that, how could she take one?"

"She didn't seem to care much for the victim."

"Well, let's have lunch and then back to the lab." He sighed.

"No. Go straight to the lab! I think I know how to close the case" And with that, Booth turned around and drove to the Jeffersonian.


	10. Unexpected

"Angela!" Brennan hollered as she hurried into the lab with Booth in tow. She quickly slid her card and approached her friend wide-eyed.

Angela took three steps back and put her hands up. "Whoa, whoa, sweetie, calm down. What's going on?"

"I figured it out. I need you to put this on." Brennan said as she pulled out a fake pregnancy bump.

"Where did you get this?" Angela asked as she held it up.

"A maternity store on the way here…" Brennan said as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Booth laughed with Angela.

"You should've seen the cashier's face when Bones went in, grabbed one of the bellies and took it up to pay for it. She took it off a mannequin!"

"You did not!" Angela gasped, amused.

"Okay, I did, but can we please focus? Now put this on." Brennan said as she tried to help Angela into the seventh month bump she'd purchased. Angela looked incredulously. As Brennan worked on securing it to her body, Angela spoke slowly.

"I'm sorry, but what purpose is this serving?"

"Stephanie Beck was seven months pregnant when Justin Wickler was murdered." Brennan stated.

"And I'm supposed to be her in this experiment"

"That would be why I'm strapping this to you" Brennan nodded quickly and Angela stopped her.

"Sweetie, I'm several inches taller than her" Angela pointed out. "And that's without my heels on"

Brennan sank a little bit and quietly helped her out of it. "I can't use it, because I'm pregnant. No one else in the lab has the right build."

"Except for—" Angela started.

"Please don't say it." Booth groaned.

"Daisy" Angela finished. A collective groan rose from several people—even some that were not involved in the conversation.

"That's right. She's about the right height." Brennan said, her finger to her lips as she mulled over her options.

"Do we all want her here? I mean is it really necessary? Can't we just try it out on the hologram thing?" Booth groaned again. Daisy Wicks was not anyone's favorite person—besides Sweets, but he was a little off anyway. She was fired twice from the Jeffersonian. It was unlikely that anyone would enjoy her presence, but it was needed.

"No, we should run it physically and compare with the Angelator for accurate and consistent results."

"If we must, then we must." Angela sighed.

"What must we do?" Cam asked as she scanned her card and scurried onto the platform, her black high heels making a satisfying tap.

"It is imperative that Daisy Wicks serve in an impending experiment that may lead to the conclusion of this case." Brennan breathed

"Oh, dear. Imperative?" Brennan nodded softly. "Alright, well, call her in. Make damn sure she knows this is not permanent and the second I hear a squeal, sigh, the words 'Lancelot' or 'Lance' said or even if she gets too flashy with that ring…she's out."

The group laughed and Angela left momentarily to call the irritating intern in.

Brennan was pacing, relaying possibilities in her head, when the squealing hit her ears. She turned to see the very over-excited Daisy approaching arms open very quickly. She looked as if she was going to embrace Brennan.

Cam shot Daisy a menacing glare. And Angela fake coughed.

"Oh, don't worry Dr. Saroyen I'm calm!" She turned to her idol anthropologist. "Dr. Brennan! I was so excited when Angela told me you needed me here! What do you need? Anything!"

"You are about the right size for an experiment we're conducting." Brennan said slowly.

"Ooh! An experiment! And I get to help?" Brennan nodded slowly while Cam's face met with her palm in a disparaging way. "Okey dokey! What do you need me to do?"

Angela lifted the seventh month belly in the air and smiled. "Put this on"

"Ummm, what? Is that one of those fake pregnant belly things?" Angela nodded. "I don't understand."

"Our suspect was seven months pregnant when the victim was murdered." Brennan supplied. Daisy hesitated. "What are you waiting for, Ms. Wicks, put the maternity bump on."

"I don't know…what if Lance sees me in it…" She mulled as she glanced at the belly and back to the ground. Cam's knuckles turned white and her teeth clenched.

"If you want to work again in this field, you'll put the belly on, or Booth here will slam some cuffs around your wrists and charge you with impeding an investigation," Cam spat nastily at the foolish ex-intern. Booth chuckled lightly but after a glare from Cam solemnly nodded. "So what's it going to be Ms. Wicks?"

Daisy simply giggled, which further infuriated the coroner. Daisy beckoned for them to put the belly on her, commenting that perhaps Lance would decide they should procreate soon. Everyone rolled their eyes, while Cam muttered under her breath about irritating, clueless, good-for-nothing kids.

After Daisy was secured in her costume of sorts, she turned and admired herself in the reflection given off from the surrounding glass. Before she could mention the young psychologist, Brennan spoke.

"Booth will stand in for Justin Wickler. What we need to prove is that Stephenie Beck killed her boyfriend by slicing his jugular in a downward motion" Brennan explained matter-of-factly.

"Like this?" Daisy asked making a stabbing motion towards Booth.

"Exactly" Booth was looking uncomfortable. "Of course we have to figure in the knife…"

"You're not going to give her a knife, are you?" Said Booth, nervously backing up.

Ignoring her anxious boyfriend/partner/father-of-her-child, she turned to Angela. "Crime of passion, premeditated…that'll change the way she stabs."

"I'm going to say crime of passion, because if it was premeditated, don't you think she'd do it a little more cleanly, or had planned it out better?"

"And if it was a crime of passion she would grab the most convenient weapon, a kitchen knife." Booth offered.

"That's speculation." Daisy said, hoping to impress her idol, a grin stretch across her eager face.

"But it makes sense…" Brennan thought, dismissing Daisy. "And if her boyfriend was not helping her with the baby or endangering her baby, that's a motive, right?" Brennan added as she thought about all that she would do for this baby she was carrying, even though she hadn't felt a kick yet, she loved the tiny creature inside of her. The heart beat alone was enough to make her maternal instincts kick in. She could kill for this baby and not blink an eye. She could understand…but she wasn't a killer.

"Yeah, she didn't seem to have many nice things to say about Wickler. He was dealing, too" Booth offered.

"But, we don't have evidence aside from the fact that someone of Ms. Beck's stature and condition could indeed inflict the injuries found on Wickler…and a possible motive. Is that enough to get a search warrant, Booth?" she asked now turning to him.

"Should be." He shrugged.

"Well." Booth breathed as he approached Brennan and Angela a couple hours later. "Caroline talked a judge into a search warrant."

"That's good!" Brennan said jumping up, Angela's face wrinkled though.

"No, sweetie, he's not done. If you got a warrant, why do you look stressed?" Angela asked noticing the lines on Booth's forehead coming out more prominently and his eyes clouding. The exhaustion was evident on his face.

"Stephenie Beck is dead."


	11. The Second Andy

Angela's jaw dropped and Brennan seemed to be frantic. "What? Dead? She can't be dead!"

"Bones, she's dead. Had a brain aneurism during childbirth." He said solemnly.

"How—how does that happen?" Brennan asked, fully aware of how it really happened. They had just lost their only suspect, all they had to show for it was a search warrant and if it did turn out that she was the murderer, it wouldn't matter.

What about the baby? Brennan caught herself wondering. The baby was alone, no mother, no father, it was an orphan. She was filled with fear immediately. What if that happened to her? What if she died? What if she never got to hold her baby? Of course, Booth would take care of the infant, but still, she was terrified. She knew all too well how much a child needed their mother.

"We have to go see the baby" Brennan spoke after several minutes of silence.

"Bones…" Booth warned.

"No, we have to go see it, I just—I just want to make sure that he or she has a family or somewhere to go."

"We have to search that house…" Booth reminded her gently.

"We do? Well it isn't going to make a difference! She's dead! Our only suspect is dead! The murderer is dead and has left behind a helpless baby who may very well spend eighteen years in foster care! I don't know about you, Booth, but I wouldn't want that for anyone." Brennan briskly stood up and walked away.

"Bones!" he called after her. Angela shushed him and motioned that she would take care of it. She left Booth in her office and calmly exited. She moseyed through the hall and then saw what she was looking for.

Angela entered the women's restroom and spoke softly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

An older woman left the stall, washed her hands quickly and left. Angela still waited for an answer. She knocked on the third stall. "Honey, I know you're in there. Let's talk."

The stall door opened and Brennan stood there leaning against the stall barrier crying. Her red, puffy eyes contrasted with the icy blue eyes that were trying to avoid Angela's concerned gaze. She rolled out a few squares of toilet paper and blew her nose rather obnoxiously then discarded the used tissue into the toilet and flushed.

"There's nothing to talk about. You don't need to be his olive branch" she said indignantly.

"Really, Bren? You're crying in the bathroom stall and there's nothing to talk about?"

Brennan laughed half heartedly. "It's just these stupid pregnancy hormones, that's all"

"You and I both know that's total crap." Angela laughed as she pulled Brennan into a hug. "Listen honey, that's not going to happen to you. We're all frustrated that this case isn't going as we hoped it would. And I know this hits close to home because you're pregnant. And I know you're scared because this is new. It's okay to voice your fears, honey."

"That baby shouldn't be alone." Brennan cried. "And—and what if that happens to me? What if I have complications?"

"Don't say that." Angela said abruptly. "That's not going to happen to you."

"You don't know that! Beck probably thought the same thing. No one ever thinks it will happen to them and then they die."

"You're not going to die." Angela pat Brennan's back reassuringly. Brennan had snuggled against Angela's maternal frame. Neither cared that they were sitting on a bathroom floor.

"Angela, what if I'm a bad mother?" She said after moments of quiet sobbing and comforting had gone by.

"You couldn't be. You love that baby…you couldn't be a bad mother. Everyone worries about that, but you have nothing to worry about." She hugged her closer and said "He loves you."

Brennan slowly got to her feet and nodded. "I'm just being irrational."

"You? Never." Angela said with a hearty laugh.

Brennan had agreed to accompany Booth to look for the murder weapon. They found it within an hour and Brennan was right in assuming it was a kitchen knife. After returning to her office and finishing paperwork with Booth, they headed home.

"I just want to make sure he or she finds a good home. I know people willing to adopt." She said quietly as he drove home.

"Do you want to check?" He asked thoughtfully, with a bit of a sigh. It was only the eightieth time she'd mentioned it throughout the day.

"Yes, please" So he turned the corner and headed to the hospital. They headed to the nursery, with some prying and badge-flashing to nurses.

The elderly and reluctant nurse showed them to the resting baby surrounded in blue blankets.

"This is the baby," she said pointing to the small orphan.

"What's his name?" Brennan asked, not taking her eyes off of him, but subconsciously bringing her left hand to her barely protuberant belly. It looked more that she had eaten a large lunch than she was carrying a tiny life.

"He hasn't got one. The mother died before she was able to name her and the father wasn't in the picture." The nurse said sadly.

"Well, he can't not have a name" Booth said.

"Name him, then." Brennan looked wide-eyed at Booth and he returned the look.

"Miss" Booth looked at the nametag "Johns, we can't just name this baby. I mean, surely, there's someone, a relative or something, who can take him, isn't there?"

"I'm afraid not sir, we've looked and there was only one relative listed on her medical sheet. It was her mother, we tried to call and inform her that her daughter had passed and there was a grandchild here but she wouldn't have it. Said that she hadn't spoken to her daughter in five years and could care less. When we told her about the baby, she said 'figures' and hung up." The old nurse walked a few paces down the hall and picked up a clipboard, Booth and Brennan followed.

"So, there is no one who can take care of him?" Brennan asked

"We're trying to place him in foster home now, but no one's jumping at the chance"

"Booth, I'm a foster parent. I'm registered." She said, turning to him with lost eyes. They stepped back a few feet to discuss.

"Bones, we can't. You're already pregnant and we can't…" He held her hands as he spoke. "Look, I want to help this little guy out but we're not in a position to do anything directly."

"Please, just until we can find him a better home." She begged.

"_Temperance_,"

"_Seeley._" She returned the tone the whiny tone he gave her.

"Just until we find him a home? And you said you knew people…" His defiance was breaking down. He looked back at the pretty baby and was reminded of Parker.

"I'll call them tomorrow." She said with a promise. It was like Parker begging for a puppy. "It's like when we watched Andy, won't be long. He can't stay here, Booth."

"Okay, work it out." He said surrendering.

They headed home several hours later with a baby boy securely strapped into a rear-facing car seat in the back seat of Booth's car.

"I can't believe we're doing this" he sighed, looking back in the rearview mirror at the car seat.

"It'll be good practice for our baby" she smiled.

"That's true…" He cracked a slight smile, but was still very anxious about bringing a baby home. Brennan assured him that she had amenities worked out from when Andy was staying at her place.

"So...what do we call him?" Brennan asked awkwardly.

"I don't know…it just doesn't feel right naming a baby that isn't ours." He shook his head.

"We could call him Andy?" Booth laughed sardonically at this suggestion.

"No we can't."

"Jason?" She tried. He shook his head again.

"Definitely not; he doesn't look like a Jason"

"Peter?"

"No"

"Eric?"

"Not a chance" Booth laughed. "We suck at this"

"Well, you don't like any of my suggestions, maybe you should think of one." She sneered teasingly.

"Brandon" He said simply.

"That's….nice" She said with a smile.

"Brandon, it is." He said as he turned into the parking lot for her apartment. "You carry the formula, I'll carry Brandon" Booth said as he came around and unbuckled the car seat and took the handles under his arm.

"This won't be so bad." She said, little did she know what she was in store for.


	12. Parker

"Rebecca! It's my weekend with Parker! He's my son and I haven't seen him in weeks, you're not gonna keep me from my kid, are you?" Booth argued over the phone as Brennan bounced Brandon on her hip, mixing a bottle with her free hand. She looked over in concern at Booth. She knew it hurt Booth that he hadn't been able to see his son a lot. She knew how important it was to him. And realized how important it was to _her_ too.

"I don't care if Captain Fantastic wants to take him to Pluto! He's my son and I want to see him!" There was a cacophonous din resounding from the phone that even Brennan, who was ten feet away, could hear. _'Don't call Brett that! And its Disneyland…Parker's always wanted to go there. Don't be selfish.'_

Brennan and Booth scoffed in unison. "Don't be selfish? You've kept him away from me for three weeks while you all vacationed in Aspen. Don't you think it's a little ridiculous that your boyfriend sees Parker more than his father? Rebecca, don't make me go to court with this. I will. I know a damn good lawyer who will fight to her death to make sure I can see him!"

Brennan stifled a laugh, picturing Caroline prosecuting Rebecca, only in their dreams would that work.

Brennan sat down on the couch that Booth was sitting on. They were still in pajamas and hadn't been able to change due to the late night/early morning diaper changes and feeding. Brennan had dark circles under her eyes and was beginning to understand that parenting was no easy feat.

She cradled Brandon in her arms, supporting his small head above her elbow, and brought the bottle to his mouth. He cooed in the most adorable way. She was getting the hang of it, as Booth said. The first time she tried to feed Brandon, the bottle nipple awkwardly pressed against his lips and then formula oozed out of the nipple and all over his face—which, in turn, started a whole new round in crying (both Brandon's and hers.) This time, though, the bottle successfully made it to his lips and he latched on, sucking the bitter formula from the bottle serenely.

She listened further to Booth's conversation. "No! I am not _dating_ that lawyer or having sex with her! She's the prosecutor, I was kidding! Sort of. Besides, you don't have to worry about me bringing _'all sorts of women around'_ because I happen to have a steady relationship and that's more than you could say for a long time if I remember right…and I do"

Brennan glanced down at Brandon whose blue eyes were exceptionally blue, not quite the cerulean hers were but a deeper blue. She was growing quite fond of Brandon, and she knew Booth was as well. It wasn't her fault that she "lost" the numbers of her friends that wanted to adopt. She promised him that she'd get in contact with them…meanwhile she was taking every opportunity to rave on how cute and lovable Brandon was and that he was not that big of a hassle. Was it wrong that she never wanted to let the child go?

"It's none of your business who I'm dating—although, I seem to remember telling you about it a couple weeks ago. Yes, Parker's met her. No, he doesn't know we're dating. But I'm sure if he was allowed here more often he would be thrilled." Brennan blushed slightly as Booth looked over with a smirk.

He looked down at Brandon and smiled. It was adorable, the sight of his Bones holding a little baby so lovingly. But they couldn't keep that baby, even if he was the cutest baby Booth had ever seen, next to Parker, of course. They had one on the way; surely Bones didn't want another baby?

But would it really be that bad? Raising children together? They both seemed to be extraordinarily attached to him. They had the means to take care of him. But how would Parker feel about two new siblings, maybe more? How would Parker feel about their new founded relationship? Would he take it well, as Booth thought he would? There was so much that his little boy would learn tonight—if Rebecca had the decency to allow Parker to see his father.

"Alright, thanks Rebecca. See you around four. Bye." Booth said curtly. Arguments with Rebecca always left him the same way: drained and thankful that she had refused his proposal.

"I have to go get Parker around four. Do you and Brandon want to stay here or go with?"

"We'll stay; I have a few things to do anyway"

"You're doing really well Bones. You're a natural!" He chuckled and smiled down at Brandon.

"Hardly, but thank you" She gazed at the baby in her arms too. She was completely attached, something she wasn't expecting.

Booth hid his face from the boy, who peered at him with interest, and then he uncovered his face enthusiastically and said "Peek-a-boo" in an odd baby-talk voice.

Brandon spit out the bottle and started crying. Booth's face fell. Brennan seemed amused.

"Booth, he doesn't like that childish game." She said as she set down the bottle and rocked the baby. "Awh, it's okay, he didn't mean to scare you"

After a minute or so of rocking, he quieted. Brennan burped him and put him down in the bassinette she purchased. She made a funny face before she turned to Booth, who was observing, and Brandon burst out in a fit of giggles.

"Ugh! Why does he laugh when you do it but cry when I do it?" the experienced father said. He was a little mystified as to how the first time mother was doing better than he, the man with an eight year old son, was.

"He likes me better" She said smugly. She turned back to the sweet baby and wiggled her fingers, "Dancing phalanges!" She giggled with the child.

"Obviously, who wouldn't?" Booth said as he wrapped his beautiful girlfriend into his arms and kissed her cheek. "I love you"

"I love you too, Booth."

"I can't wait to have this baby with you." He said as he kissed her again.

She smiled, but didn't say anything. She thought about bringing up her desire to adopt Brandon but thought it might be a bit premature to discuss it. And she didn't want to upset him, as it looked like little Brandon was falling asleep. She would, however, bring it up within the weekend…she hoped.

The Booth boys returned to Brennan's apartment an hour after Booth had departed. This was because Rebecca wanted to get a few judgmental words in edgewise before Parker left. Booth blew her off. He didn't really care. He had told her weeks ago about Brennan and the baby, and if she wasn't paying enough attention to remember that wasn't his fault. She was probably too busy looking in a mirror admiring her reflection to listen to what he had to say anyway.

_"C'mon, Parker, Bones is waiting for us then we're all to the diner, sound good, bud?" He smiled as he led his son to the SUV. _

_ "Sounds awesome, Dad! Is Dr. Bones gonna play with us all weekend, this time?" Parker was sufficiently irritated that he didn't see the anthropologist more often. He adored her and couldn't understand why he wasn't his dad's girlfriend._

_ "Yep!" He said jovially, "But Parker, there are some things Bones and I need to tell you. Important things and we're a little worried about how you'll react. It's okay to feel upset, okay buddy? You're my first priority" Booth said honestly. He would do anything for his son, including let his heart be torn to shreds, because Parker was the most important thing to him in the entire world._

_ "Okay, Dad." The younger Booth nodded, not sure what his father was talking about…but hoping it involved getting a pool…and maybe a milkshake._

When they arrived back at Brennan's apartment, they were greeted with a smile. Brennan looked beautiful and had finally managed to get dressed while Brandon was sleeping. Brandon was in his car seat/cradle with a pacifier in his mouth attempting to reach forward with his tiny hands and grasp a multi colored toy.

"Hi Parker! Hey Booth!" She gave them both hugs.

"Hi, Dr. Bones!" Parker said enthusiastically as he released his favorite anthropologist and looked around the room. "Is that _your_ baby, Dr. Bones?" Parker asked in curious disbelief. Did she have a baby so soon? Parker wasn't sure how baby stuff worked, but he was pretty sure something wasn't right.

Brennan laughed, and Booth joined in. "No, no, that's Brandon. I'm just watching him for a little while."

"Why? Are his mommy and daddy at the store, because when Mom goes somewhere she can't take me, she calls a babysitter too."

"Err, not quite" Brennan answered, blanched, she turned to Booth.

"Brandon's parents are gone, Parker. He's waiting for someone to be his mommy and daddy." Booth explained as he wrapped his arm around his son in a fatherly way.

"Oh." Parker said in a glum voice. He looked at the baby who was smiling at him and still trying to reach that toy, and Parker smiled. "Well, why don't you be his mommy, Dr. Bones?"

Brennan smiled easily. "I'll look into that Parker; it sounds like a really good idea"

"Are we going to the diner? I'm really hungry. I haven't eaten all day! Unless you count breakfast, lunch, and a Fruit by the Foot…I could go for a milkshake!"

Booth chuckled. "Maybe after you finish dinner, bud" He said as he shook his hand through Parker's hair.

The diner was a peaceful event, full of laughter. Brennan snuck in bites of her salad between feeding Brandon. It was very carefree and breezy, but they knew that sometime tonight they had to tell Parker about everything.

After Parker finished his milkshake, they headed home. Parker was sitting next to the baby; both were secured safely in the vehicle. Brandon kept trying to stick Parker's fingers in his mouth. Parker talked to Brandon and let the baby play with his hand. It seemed Parker would be an excellent big brother.

Booth spoke up, deciding that now seemed right. "Parker, remember how I told you that Bones and I had to tell you some stuff?"

"Yeah, Dad, what is it?" Parker asked innocently.

"Well…" Booth wasn't sure how to begin. He wasn't sure how to phrase it. He didn't want Parker to be mad. He glanced at Brennan who gave him a reassuring nod. He powered through. "Bones and I…uh…we're boyfriend and girlfriend now."

"Is that okay with you, Parker?" Brennan threw in turning around to face him. He seemed genuinely okay with it.

"Is that it? Finally!" Parker said exasperatedly. He sure was one for theatrics...Brennan and Booth exhaled a sigh of relief. Hopefully he'd be just as accepting of the other admission.

"That's not all, Parker" Booth said in a hesitant voice. But it wasn't something they could keep from him. It wasn't something that could be concealed.

Brennan motioned for him to say it. He looked at her with unsure eyes, pleading her to take over.

"Uh…" She said uncomfortably. Brennan rarely stuttered and rarely was at a loss for words… "Your father and I, we're having a baby."

"One like Brandon?" Parker asked.

"Yeah, one like Brandon…unless it's a girl, then they wouldn't be comparable in that way, but both are babies" Brennan answered. The couple was nervous, clearly nervous, about what the eight year old would say. When Brennan looked back, Parker had an equally worried look on his face.

"Dad…when the baby is born, you're still going to love me right?" Parker asked. Booth pulled into the parking lot and parked.

His jaw slacked. "Of course I will, Parker! I'll always love you no matter what! You're my son."

"Good, because Adam said that when his mom and dad had a new baby, they forgot all about him and only loved the baby"

"Parker, you have nothing to worry about. Nothing like that will happen to you. We love you and we'll love the baby…equally. Won't it be cool to have a little brother or sister?"

"Yeah, I guess" Parker said, seeming a bit more okay with the idea. "You're going to find a good place for him though, right?" Parker asked looking down at the baby who was slobbering all over his hand. Parker didn't seem to mind, he was very mature for his age, and Brennan surmised that Brandon had the same effect on Parker that he did on Booth and her.

"Yeah, now let's go inside and I'll make hot chocolate…It's really cold outside" Brennan said. "Then we'll beat your dad in cards" she added mischievously.


End file.
